Celtics 5 Questions

[PosImpos]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2011/news/story?page=5-on-5-110511-Celtics


That's what the ESPN Celtics correspondents said.  What do you say?

1. With one title in two Finals trips in this era, Celtics fans should feel ...

A. Happy
B. Satisfied
C. Unsatisfied
D. Unhappy
E. [Your description here]


2. The Kendrick Perkins trade has been much-maligned. The criticism is ...


A. Right on point
B. Missing the point
C. Overstated
D. Understated
E. [Your description here]


3. When Boston's season ends, it will be time for Danny Ainge to ...


A. Bring everyone back
B. Tweak the roster
C. Make a major move
D. Start over
E. [Your prescription here]


4. Rajon Rondo, age 25, is the only Celtics star under 33. He is also ...


A. The foundation for a new era of Celtics title contention
B. A franchise player but not enough
C. A keeper, but only a good piece, not a franchise player
D. The guy who can bring Boston back the most in a trade
E. [Your description here]



5. What is your favorite memory from this era of Celtics basketball?





My answers:

1. Happy, but unsatisfied.  Can't complain when you win a championship, but can't help but wonder what might have been if this group didn't have so much bad luck since Game 6 of the '08 Finals.

2. Missing the point, overstated.  While this team has struggled with rebounding, Perk would not have helped with this team's biggest flaw, which is it's inability to score late in games.  That's why they are down 3-1 right now.

3. Make a move or start over.  A last hurrah sounds nice, but this group is old and only getting older.

4. A keeper, but a potential key piece in a trade.  Rondo is not a guy you build around.  Unless you can get a superstar to put next to him via trade or free agency, you have to look to rebuild, starting with a trade that sends Rondo out for prospects / picks etc.

5. "Anything's possible."  What else?

[JSD]

1. B -- Would would have been A if we gained more distance from the Lakers in terms of title count.

2. A -- Can't argue with it right now. It was a trade I felt great about at the time but it was the wrong move. Then again, who knows how we would have faired with KP.

3. A -- but it depends on what's available.

4. D -- I love Rondo but I think he's worth more to us as an asset for the future.

5. 2008 -- KG's anything is possible interview.

[nyceltsfan]

I saw this on ESPN.  I only want to answer #5. 

The greatest memory I have of this team is Game 7 against the Cavs in 2008.  Even more specifically, the jump ball that Pierce recovered before Lebron could get there.  Pierce scored 41 points that game, but the jump ball summarized the whole season, IMO.  A team loaded with offensive talent putting their bodies on the line and committing to defense and the little things ultimately resulting in a championship.

Seeing Pierce on the floor, reveling in winning one of those "50/50" balls gave me the sense that this team will win the championship.

[GreenEnvy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2011/news/story?page=5-on-5-110511-Celtics


That's what the ESPN Celtics correspondents said.  What do you say?

1. With one title in two Finals trips in this era, Celtics fans should feel ...

A. Happy
B. Satisfied
C. Unsatisfied
D. Unhappy
E. Cheated. I feel KG's injury cost us the repeat in 2009 when we were a 62-win team without him for the second-half. Last year, Perkins' injury just may have cost us both games 6 and 7. I don't know how this season is going to end, but if Shaq and Rondo are definitely healthy, we are skipping to the Finals IMO.


2. The Kendrick Perkins trade has been much-maligned. The criticism is ...


A. Right on point
B. Missing the point
C. Overstated
D. Understated
E. [Your description here]


3. When Boston's season ends, it will be time for Danny Ainge to ...


A. Bring everyone back
B. Tweak the roster
C. Make a major move
D. Start over
E. Depends how it ends. If it ends tonight, then major moves may be in order. If it ends with another banner, than I would simply tweak the roster, only because of age and injury concerns. A shortened season though may be the remedy to do it again by just bringing everyone back.


4. Rajon Rondo, age 25, is the only Celtics star under 33. He is also ...


A. The foundation for a new era of Celtics title contention
B. A franchise player but not enough
C. A keeper, but only a good piece, not a franchise player
D. The guy who can bring Boston back the most in a trade
E. C + D



5. What is your favorite memory from this era of Celtics basketball?

Watching them come together throughout the 2007-08 regular season in dominating fashion. Finding their way in the early rounds on the 2008 playoffs. The ZaZa pick by KG. The epic duel of LeBron and Pierce. Going into Detroit and winning after losing HCA and being 0-6 on the road. The Finals-record 24-point comeback in LA. Hanging Banner 17. The pure spectacle that was the 2009 first-round between Chicago and Boston. The buzzer-beater vs. Miami by Pierce. After a demoralizing loss, coming back to win three straight to eliminate LeBron, again. Laying everything out against LA, even if it wasn't enough. Having fun against the Knicks. Taking on the Heat. And I'm sure there is more to come.

But if I had to pick just one memory:

131-92.

[Marcus13]

1. With one title in two Finals trips in this era, Celtics fans should feel ...

B. Satisfied ; it was our first ring in how long?  We should be very thankful.
2. The Kendrick Perkins trade has been much-maligned. The criticism is ...

D. Understated ; I don't know that we would have won with him, in fact I don't think we would have but we certainly hurt our chances

3. When Boston's season ends, it will be time for Danny Ainge to ...

B. Tweak the roster.  I don't believe that Ray + KG fetch anything in the open market.  We'll keep the 4 man core and make changes to the rotation players

4. Rajon Rondo, age 25, is the only Celtics star under 33. He is also ...

C. A keeper, but only a good piece, not a franchise player.  His inability to hit a jump shot is bad enough...but I don't think teams will be intimidated by him taking the ball to the hoop anymore once the shooters aren't surrounding him

5. What is your favorite memory from this era of Celtics basketball?

Ray Allen crossing over Sasha and taking him to the hoop to win us the NBA Finals

[Mr October]

1. A - I have enjoyed this era so much. This has been a great time to be a Celtics fan.

2. C - overstated. I think the move is controversial. And some days I am for it, some days against it. I'm willing to bet that if the trade didn't happen the C's would still be down 3-1. The team is just getting old, injured and worn out. The Heat's speed combined with power is extremely difficult to beat. The Celtics defense has been fine. Their offense has fallen apart late in games.

3. B - probably just tweak the roster. I dont want to go in looking to blow things up for the sake of change. I'd rather trade for legit pieces, or just let these guys retire in 2012.

4. C - Rondo is a keeper, a legit all star. But if a super star becomes available and Rondo is the price, then he's got to go. The number 1 rebuilding goal is to find the next superstar for this team.

5. Favorite memory - the 2008 title, and beating the Lakers in the process.

[Celtics18]

1. A.  Happy, but more than that proud to be a Celtics fan.

2. C.  I'll always love Perk, but the criticism of the trade has been overstated. 

3. C.  Tweak, unless we can move Ray for a good, young player who has the potential to become a great player.

4. A.  I love the kid, and want to see him in Celtic green until he retires, and they hang number 9 in the rafters.

5. There are so many, but game six of the 2008 NBA finals obviously stands out.  I'll never forget Paul Pierce's halftime interview during that game, when asked about how the team would guard against a let down, and letting the Lakers back in it.  He said there was no way that could happen, "we're trying to win a championship."  More than the words, you could just see in his face and his demeanor that there was no way the team was letting up.  He had champion written all over him at halftime.  The second half was a celebration, although I was still nervous when the Lakers cut it to below 30. 

[the_Bird]

1. Thankful for being able to watch some of the best basketball I can imagine, because the team was successful but even more importantly because they won by playing the game the right way.  Still, I cannot get over a feeling of disappointment; there were opportunities there for a second title, which would have put this team in the conversation with some of the League's all-time greats.

2. Criticism of the Perkins trade has mostly been spot-on, but ultimately this team's demise would have come about regardless.  The criticism could increase if Green walks this summer without compensation.

3. The team's still too good to just blow up, but I would not be adding any pieces that significantly hamper the 2012 cap flexibility.  If teams start calling regarding Ray or KG, you close the door and take those calls, though.

4. Rondo is potentially a franchise player but not untouchable.  I worry about how he'll respond to any coach not named "Doc."  I worry that he'll never develop a consistent jump shot, and that he'll always be hesitant in the clutch so as to stay off the free throw line.  But again, you're willing to take calls.

5. So many to pick from, but it's got to be destroying the Lakers' will to live in Game 6.

[mgent]

3. E  Your prescription here.

[dlpin]

1- A. Happy. KG has been a blast to watch. Allen is great. Pierce finally got his due respect after years on bad teams. I live in Atlanta, I see first hand how hard it is to put a good, championship winning team on the court.

2- Overstated. No matter how you feel about this trade, we are talking about 2 role players who would not swing this series one way or the other. It's been blown up way out of proportion because fans like to think they were overwhelming favorites at one point, and the media likes to discuss controversial topics. We struggle because we are old. Very old.

3- Tweak the roster. With so many contracts in place, there really is no other option. Let the contracts expire and get a big time free agent in 2012. Kevin Love, Brook Lopez, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Russel Westbrook, Dwight are all free agents then.

4- B.

5- the comeback in game 4 in 2008.

[pearljammer10]

1. E. Happy...but dissappointed in the potential this team had that it didnt get to tap into... - Just because Im happy with the era in Celtics history doesnt mean I cant be a little greedy as well. If this team had played up to its potential each season, and hadnt been plauged with injuries, we could have seen a championship dynasty. Still after all is said and done, how could you not be happy with how things went? Like one writer said, there have only been 8 teams to win a championship in the last 30 years... Thats absurd! It so special to have seen this group of guys be one of those teams.

2. A. You dont blow up a first place championship contending East favorite team in the middle of the season. Danny put his trust into Shaq's much too old injury plauged body rather than give it to the starting center that made the team intimidating to everyone else. Without that intimidation factor, the celtics were no longer the team that everyone wanted to avoid playing.

Jeff Green is the better player but how does he fit into the celtics? He plays the same position as Pierce and he didnt exactly help his trade value any if thats what Danny was thinking. Green might be a 20 point scorer with 37 minutes per game, but how will he fit in with the C's playing 15 - 20 minutes off the bench with less touches until Pierce is gone?

3. B. Tweak the roster. Even though things arent looking good for next year, we can still throw together one more run with this group. Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Garnett, and JO as starters is a nice line up even if everyone is a year older. KG is too old to be getting the minutes and the load he has been expected to give. Replacing Baby with a young athletic PF off the bench who can score and defend is what we need, easier said than done. It would be nice to be able to pry Dwight Howard from the Magic with some sort of Jeff Green Big Baby KGs expiring type deal but thats going to be too much for us to ask for. Sign some one year contracts, fill some needs, and go for one more run with what we've got.

4. A. and B. Rondo is the foundation but he wont be able to do it by himself. He gets everyone involved and turns player into deadly weapons. The type of game he has wont allow us to win a championship with him by himself because he is adapted to make other players better. With a go to superstar to feed the ball too, we will be all set. Rondo is the future of the team but he needs a co pilot, just like anyone else in the NBA.

5. So many memories: Number one has to be the championship; the gatorade, the confetti, just realizing everything that was going on and being part of that history...

Other personal memories: Being at the Magic C's playoff game where Marbury put up 16 in the first half, then Doc didnt play him in the second...Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.?

The silent and eerie crowd after being at the game where Marquis went down.

It all comes down to the championship run though, everything from Ray Allen's 3 point assault, to KG screaming anythings possible, and Ubuntu man. Also, Eddie House's kid.

[PosImpos]

3. E  Your prescription here.

Hahah, TP, I didn't catch that.  I copied and pasted directly from the article, too.