Danny: Shaq ready for the Playoffs

[BballTim]

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

  The defense with Shaq was about as good as it was with Perk, and I think we were doing well in limiting opponent's points in the paint.

[dlpin]

He felt "fantastic" about the interior defense. LOL

The celtics are 4th in the league in limiting opponent's efficiency in the paint, and I doubt that is just because Perkins started 7 games.

http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/opponentstats/11/4/eff/1-1

The celtics continue to be 4th in the league in limiting opponent's efficiency in the paint over the past 10 games:

http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/opponentstats/11/4/eff/6-1


During last year's regular season, the celtics were 5th

http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/opponentstats/10/4/eff/7-1

So yes, Ainge is absolutely correct that the current crop of big men have done just as good a job on interior defense as the celtics did with Perkins.

[Vermont Green]

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."

I believe our interior defense specifically and our overall defense in general always has had more to do with KG than Perk or anyone else.

There is no doubt that Perk is a good defender and without him, that is one less option to throw at the problem.  It does not appear to me though that interior defense is what will be our playoff demise.  Stagnent offense and missing shots seems to be more the problem, closely followed by rebounding.

Of the two (offense and rebounding) I seem to be more worried about offense.  We have never been a good rebounding team but yet have been able to win in spite of that.  I don't think we can overcome our recent offensive malaise, if it continues, and still win.

[Tai]

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.

So....because you don't have complete confidence Shaq won't be back, you're claiming Danny is doing "GM talk" when he claims he has complete confidence? All I've gotten from your post is that you don't believe Danny solely based on your own fears. All I'm clear about is that based on your own fears, you're more or less calling Danny a fibber.

[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.

So....because you don't have complete confidence Shaq won't be back, you're claiming Danny is doing "GM talk" when he claims he has complete confidence? All I've gotten from your post is that you don't believe Danny solely based on your own fears. All I'm clear about is that based on your own fears, you're more or less calling Danny a fibber.

No, I am saying this is what Danny always does, and then he gets called a liar when it doesn't come true.  He always hedges himself when he says this stuff, because he knows that nothing is a guarantee.  But, unfortunately, they are read (and headlined) as definitive statements, when that was never the intent. 

I believe Danny completely.  I just don't think it was as strong a statement as it was made out to be.  He hedged his statement for a reason.

[celticinorlando]

i am ready for shaq's 5 minute cameo

[ejk3489]

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

Well he was right about JO when half the blog was calling JO washed up, done, that we should've traded him, ect.

Pretty much everyone but Danny was wrong about that.

[GreenFaith1819]

He felt "fantastic" about the interior defense. LOL

The celtics are 4th in the league in limiting opponent's efficiency in the paint, and I doubt that is just because Perkins started 7 games.

http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/opponentstats/11/4/eff/1-1

The celtics continue to be 4th in the league in limiting opponent's efficiency in the paint over the past 10 games:

http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/opponentstats/11/4/eff/6-1


During last year's regular season, the celtics were 5th

http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/opponentstats/10/4/eff/7-1

So yes, Ainge is absolutely correct that the current crop of big men have done just as good a job on interior defense as the celtics did with Perkins.

Great Find, dlpin. I've added to my favorites.

So...can ESPN and NBATV stop harpin' on how "weak"..."scary"..."untough" Boston looks?

I am admittedly not a stats guy, but they certainly have considerable credence here.

[Assassin70]

I dont know if Shaq is ready...but I sure am.

Cant wait for the real season to start.

[Mr October]

I dont know if Shaq is ready...but I sure am.

Cant wait for the real season to start.

It can't come soon enough.

[wahz]

Given how Shaq played early in the year, and the flashes of d and rebounding JO showed very early, if you would have told me in Dec we'd have Jo and Shaq playing 40 minutes combined come playoffs I would have thought we'd be fine. Im not saying we will be, but I would have thought so back then. Now Im not at all as sure. Not close.

What this tells me is its all the other guys who are messing up. I now have more confidence that Shaq and JO will play 30 a game then I do that Rondo will show up. Its madness how these guys have played since the trade

[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

Well he was right about JO when half the blog was calling JO washed up, done, that we should've traded him, ect.

Pretty much everyone but Danny was wrong about that.

So JO plays big minutes and has one decent game against one of the worst teams in the NBA and we are ready to declare him back? Let's wait and see what he does when the real games start. Hope he is great and can be a huge presence in the paint.

[PosImpos]

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

For the 1000th time, it's been our offense that has largely killed us since the trade, not so much the interior defense.  I don't think Perk gave us all that much more than a healthy Jermaine or Shaq does down there, and he certainly gave us less offensively.

[blackberry33]

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

For the 1000th time, it's been our offense that has largely killed us since the trade, not so much the interior defense.  I don't think Perk gave us all that much more than a healthy Jermaine or Shaq does down there, and he certainly gave us less offensively.

+1

[wahz]

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

For the 1000th time, it's been our offense that has largely killed us since the trade, not so much the interior defense.  I don't think Perk gave us all that much more than a healthy Jermaine or Shaq does down there, and he certainly gave us less offensively.

Right, and Rajon is the qb of the offense