If Celtics lose this series the window is officially closed

[WedmanIsMyHero]

I would rather have this team be the worst team in the league and have a better chance to rebuild through the draft than be a perpetual 5 seed. Seasons that don't end in championships are failures if you want to be the best franchise in the history of the sport. Now you can be improving towards something, of course, but this is the NBA - very, very rarely do teams far over-perform their talent and win a championship, if ever.

Thus, if there is a lockout that is going to block the 2011-2012 season, I think the Celtics should get rid of all of the Big 3 and start rebuilding immediately. See what they have with Jeff Green, etc.

I might even say they should do that if the lockout doesn't happen.

I realize I am being a bit "hard line" here, but the Lakers may catch the Celtics this year for most overall championships. The best strategy, in my opinion, is the one that makes winning the next championship most likely. Plodding along in mediocrity, as the Celtics did for a long time, is a terrible idea.

[jaybahs]

This team is gonna serve home court (with or without Shaquille O Neal) ... I don't care what anybody says. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce will not let the big 3 era end this way. We're getting these two at home ... and we're hitting RESTART. Watch out. 

[SHAQATTACK]

Probably right.  I still think I'd explore a Rondo + Clippers pick for CP3 deal, though.  Adding Paul to this team might be enough to get us over the hump one last time.

...yea man , now thats what I'm talking about.. CP3.   I love Rondo , WHEN his head is in the game. CP3 and Rose is are most intense guards I've seen in 20 years. I'd take either over Wade anyday and their are younger.

Keep JO and West.  Keep Allen and PP for min salary if they'll stay and maybe asst. coach one day.

There is a man who can with the help of CP3 make the Celtics into THE TEAM to deal with .

D12 ...

[snively]

Probably right.  I still think I'd explore a Rondo + Clippers pick for CP3 deal, though.  Adding Paul to this team might be enough to get us over the hump one last time.

Do you think CP3 would sign an extension with us?  I think a deal centering around Rondo and the Clippers pick is enough to interest New Orleans, but it's much harder to tell whether Paul would be sold on our future.

Sure CP3 + the Big 3 + the O'Neals is enough to give him the best shot he's ever had at a ring in 2012, but there's not a single peer talent to partner with him going forward (unless you count a 35 year old Paul Pierce).  Unless he was positive we were going to make a splash in free agency, he'd have little incentive to stick around.

[PosImpos]

Probably right.  I still think I'd explore a Rondo + Clippers pick for CP3 deal, though.  Adding Paul to this team might be enough to get us over the hump one last time.

Do you think CP3 would sign an extension with us?  I think a deal centering around Rondo and the Clippers pick is enough to interest New Orleans, but it's much harder to tell whether Paul would be sold on our future.

Sure CP3 + the Big 3 + the O'Neals is enough to give him the best shot he's ever had at a ring in 2012, but there's not a single peer talent to partner with him going forward (unless you count a 35 year old Paul Pierce).  Unless he was positive we were going to make a splash in free agency, he'd have little incentive to stick around.

You'd have to convince him that we could snare Dwight in free agency next summer.  Otherwise, there's honestly no real incentive for him to sign an extension here instead of New York.  A team with CP3, Melo, Amare and random role players would be better next year than a team of CP3 plus the retirement home for former All-Stars we've got here in Boston.

[Who]

Probably right.  I still think I'd explore a Rondo + Clippers pick for CP3 deal, though.  Adding Paul to this team might be enough to get us over the hump one last time.

Do you think CP3 would sign an extension with us?  I think a deal centering around Rondo and the Clippers pick is enough to interest New Orleans, but it's much harder to tell whether Paul would be sold on our future.

Sure CP3 + the Big 3 + the O'Neals is enough to give him the best shot he's ever had at a ring in 2012, but there's not a single peer talent to partner with him going forward (unless you count a 35 year old Paul Pierce).  Unless he was positive we were going to make a splash in free agency, he'd have little incentive to stick around.

You'd have to convince him that we could snare Dwight in free agency next summer.  Otherwise, there's honestly no real incentive for him to sign an extension here instead of New York.  A team with CP3, Melo, Amare and random role players would be better next year than a team of CP3 plus the retirement home for former All-Stars we've got here in Boston.

It's unclear how much of a player NY is going to be in the Chris Paul sweepstakes.

They have little to no trade assets left after gutting their team for 2010 Free Agency + acquiring Carmelo Anthony.

And now there are reports coming out of New York that state Donnie Walsh is considering spending free agency money this summer + pursue other avenues to improve the team ... that will effectively rule them out of 2012 Free Agency. They won't have enough cash left to offer a max contract.

Chris Paul isn't going to New York if all they can offer is the MLE and it's very unlikely that he'll be able to force a trade there without the threat of being able to sign there in the summer.

Most likely, if the above happens, Chris Paul will be talked into joining another team (via trade or FA) and signing an extension there.

So yeah, anyway, I wouldn't get too worked up about New York yet. They might not even be in the running for Chris Paul in a few months time.

[JadeBlack]

Is there anyone on the Celtics roster that is worth keeping??

[j804]

feels like the offseason around here 

[TampaCeltic80]

I think a strike shortened season could prolong the window for 1 last year. Take away 50 percent of the regular season games and our aging legs might have a little more pep come playoff time.

I am still not ready to concede this series until we lose 1 home game..until then, I am staying in the present.

been saying this for a couple months now.

40 game season would be a boon for our aging HOFers.

[PosImpos]

I think a strike shortened season could prolong the window for 1 last year. Take away 50 percent of the regular season games and our aging legs might have a little more pep come playoff time.

I am still not ready to concede this series until we lose 1 home game..until then, I am staying in the present.

been saying this for a couple months now.

40 game season would be a boon for our aging HOFers.

The only issue I see with this idea is that in the past couple of seasons the Celtics have been hit by serious injuries half way through the season.  Also, as somebody else has pointed out, in a lockout shortened season there would be less time between games since they would try to fit more games into a shorter period of time.