Danny: Shaq ready for the Playoffs

[vinnie]

And what role, pray tell, did Perk play in the offense? I guess we can start by asking Ray Allen.

[RAcker]

"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.

But "anything's possible."   

[angryguy77]

And what role, pray tell, did Perk play in the offense? I guess we can start by asking Ray Allen.

What were perks stats during the first half of the season again?

If this team doesn't believe it can win w/o perk, then they are mentally weak and don't deserve to be in the HOF.

I can understand being worried, but you have to admit that if Shaq is able to play like he did in the beginning of the season, we are in a great position.

To act as though we have 0 chance w/o knowing what the Diesel will bring is asinine. If he contributes, we will be just as good if not better than we were at the beginning of the year.  I realize its a big "if". But it's no bigger that saying "absolutley not chance" as you have inferred many times in various threads.


We simply don't know exactly how they will do until the playoffs start. What we do know is that this team is capable of lighting the world on fire as they did on their way to the finals last year.
For that reason, cautious optimism would be better suited than "Oh no, were all going to die" attitude that has been so prevalent on this site lately.

[Rondo2287]

And what role, pray tell, did Perk play in the offense? I guess we can start by asking Ray Allen.

Vinnie, what were rays averages in the 7 games that perk played vs the first half of the season that shaq, played.  Can you pull those stats please?

[Spilling Green Dye]

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.

Our offense is directly tied to getting defensive stops, rebounds, and quick outlets.  Yes, Rondo pushing the ball and attacking the hoop is a great thing, and part of his dropoff is b/c we haven't gotten him running (the other part is that he's just plain not as aggressive).

Both Shaq & Perkins were very good at securing a rebound and quickly outletting the ball for a fast break.  This was one way that Pierce & Ray got good looks at a 3-pointer, or KG got a trailing dunk. 

Our lack of rebounding and interior defense has most definitely hurt our offense.

[winsomme]

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.

But the guy he needs to be right about is Shaq because he actually could bring the necessary elements to be our starting center (replacing Perk).

None of the other guys can really fill that role...and needing to be right about Shaq (the oldest player in the league coming back from a notoriously bad injury) is what made the trade so risky.

[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.

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.

It wasn't just last night though, he's been pretty solid since he's been back. (at least in the limited minutes we've see him)

Plus I was talking more about him playing at all. Many people thought he wouldn't be back this season, even though all reports of him after his surgery were positive from Danny and Doc.

[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

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.

But the guy he needs to be right about is Shaq because he actually could bring the necessary elements to be our starting center (replacing Perk).

None of the other guys can really fill that role...and needing to be right about Shaq (the oldest player in the league coming back from a notoriously bad injury) is what made the trade so risky.

  If JO plays like he did last night he brings quite a bit of what Perk brings.

[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

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.

  That's a lot more evidence than the people who declared him done had. Do you raise a fuss when people said that he wasn't going to contribute a thing in the playoffs or when they say Shaq won't give us anything in the playoffs?

[bbd24]

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.

1 decent game ?  I thought he's played extremely well since he's been back.  Albeit limited, but he's played well on both sides of the floor.

[P2]

What about Delonte?

[winsomme]

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.

But the guy he needs to be right about is Shaq because he actually could bring the necessary elements to be our starting center (replacing Perk).

None of the other guys can really fill that role...and needing to be right about Shaq (the oldest player in the league coming back from a notoriously bad injury) is what made the trade so risky.

  If JO plays like he did last night he brings quite a bit of what Perk brings.

mmmm, not to my thinking...I would love to believe it, but he doesn't have the beef or the snarl.

as our backup big, I love him...which is why I liked the signing in the offseason.

but we need Shaq slamming people around when they drive into the middle (like DRose for instance), so they think twice about it in the future.

we also need someone to set big screens up top. Baby does a decent job on the screen front but again much better off the bench...

[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

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.

But the guy he needs to be right about is Shaq because he actually could bring the necessary elements to be our starting center (replacing Perk).

None of the other guys can really fill that role...and needing to be right about Shaq (the oldest player in the league coming back from a notoriously bad injury) is what made the trade so risky.

  If JO plays like he did last night he brings quite a bit of what Perk brings.

mmmm, not to my thinking...I would love to believe it, but he doesn't have the beef or the snarl.

as our backup big, I love him...which is why I liked the signing in the offseason.

but we need Shaq slamming people around when they drive into the middle (like DRose for instance), so they think twice about it in the future.

we also need someone to set big screens. Baby does a decent job on the screen front but again much better off the bench...

  Baby doesn't seem like a great screener, and JO gave us good interior defense. That's the "snarl" we'd get. Nobody will give you exactly what Perk did, but they'll bring skills that he doesn't to the table. You just have to win a little differently.

[Chris]

  If JO plays like he did last night he brings quite a bit of what Perk brings.

mmmm, not to my thinking...I would love to believe it, but he doesn't have the beef or the snarl.

While JO is not the enforcer Perk is, if he is healthy, I think he brings as much, if not more to the table than Perk, despite that.  Yes, you are giving up some thuggery (although JO can hold his own, even if it doesn't come across as sincere), but you are getting comparable rebounding, perhaps slightly better shot blocking, a little more mobility, and a significant upgrade offensively once he gets his timing fully back.

Now, Perk is still a significantly better post defender against Howard, but other than that, I would take a healthy JO over Perkins.

That said, we are certainly rolling the dice to expect JO will remain healthy.  Right now, he looks very good.  He is still getting his timing back offensively, but the quickness and explosiveness are there...but will it remain.

but we need Shaq slamming people around when they drive into the middle (like DRose for instance), so they think twice about it in the future.

This I agree with though.  As good as JO can be, Shaq brings a different dimension to this team on both sides of the floor.  He brings some of what Perk brought in the defensive post, and brings what this team has been missing the last few years offensively.  If we don't have Shaq, I just don't think JO (and maybe not even Perk) would be enough to get us past some of the very impressive teams out there this year.

we also need someone to set big screens up top. Baby does a decent job on the screen front but again much better off the bench...

This has replaced Rondo's big hands as the overdone excuse du jour.  Sure, screens are important...but so are guys coming off them crisply.  While there might be a little bit to this, I think it is much more people reaching for answers.  In reality, I think the guys they have do a perfectly good job setting screens.  KG is still one of the best in the business, as is Davis, and Krstic is better than he is given credit for.  To me, the difference is, Ray is coming off them more than a step slower than he was earlier in the season, and that is allowing the defenders to avoid the screen a lot easier.  

So, Shaq may help on this a little bit, but I think it will be marginal at best.  The screens are going to look better when the guys using them start focusing, and turning up their intensity all game.

[jsingh1699]

do we really need shaq against the knicks? it seems like they have a center group of shelden williams and ronny turiaf. i feel like if shaq is in and they start running, theres no way he'll keep up. im ok with playing him 10 min a game in the series. let him get a lil bit of run just to get his confidence back and get him into some sorta game shape for miami.