lockout aside, are we contenders, or in a disguised rebuild?

[diconzo]

I'm hoping the lockout will end before the season, but regardless of that, are we still legitimate threats for the championship? It appears that we're going to have 4 youngsters on our roster next season. Avery, JJ, E'Twuan, and Gilbert Brown. Those are all four players who could make a 9 man playoff rotation, in time. But not this years playoffs. They're all too young and inexperienced. Even though we do have a lot of veterans to show them the ropes. Avery must have benefited tremendously from being around Shaq, who was signing with the Orlando Magic while Avery was still in pampers. So, Even though the Celtics front the appearance of the big 4, are we rebuilding? Getting ready to sign young wings and a big man in the middle to replace the big 3 and make them the bench 3?very was still in pampers. So, Even though the Celtics front the appearance of the big 4, are we rebuilding? Getting ready to sign young wings and a big man in the middle to replace the big 3 and make them the bench 3?

[greenpride32]

Depends on how the roster fills out really.  Last offseason nobody would have imagined we could have added the caliber of talent that we did in Shaq and Delonte given our cap limitations.

A couple of years ago you could just say throw a few guys around the big 3 and Rondo and we'll always be in the mix.  But I think at this stage in their careers we ne a more balanced attack to be championship caliber.

[Edgar]

this year we are still in the mix
if this year ever happens

with healthy big 4 and JO we can still compete
if delonte and if jeff green are here
of course those are 3 ifs in 7 players
including 4 heathy ifs that makes 7 out of 7
those are a lot of ifs
but Dallas had almost the same No. of ifs starting this year
a lot of risks equals a lots of prices

[cman88]

yes, but there needs to be alot of "luck" healthwise and signing wise.

can JO/Delonte stay healthy? Can Jeff Green up his play with a training camp and be a 6th man he was projected to be? will glen davis resign?

[Edgar]

hopefully yes
hopefully yes
hopefully yes

and

will glen davis resign?

hopefully not

[PosImpos]

Whatever we get of this upcoming season will be a bridge year.

[GreenEnvy]

this year we are still in the mix
if this year ever happens

with healthy big 4 and JO we can still compete
if delonte and if jeff green are here
of course those are 3 ifs in 7 players
including 4 heathy ifs that makes 7 out of 7
those are a lot of ifs
but Dallas had almost the same No. of ifs starting this year
a lot of risks equals a lots of prices

Dallas won without Butler, which is like us without Green.

[Bahku]

We are definitely still contenders, but still a piece short, (Center), of what we need, though we have some expendability now with the addition of E'Twuan and JJ. But, we're also in a rebuild mode as well, and that's the beauty of it ... just when I start losing faith in Danny, he pulls off something that makes it all better again.

This duo from Purdue, (The Purduo), are a couple of very talented, very mature guys who come blessed with four years of premade chemistry and the growth and experience of four years of college ... something very few players can say today. I love these kids, and I'm really excited about this team again.

I honestly can't believe JJ fell to #27 and E' to #55 ... there are a ton of teams that are going to regret that for some time to come, and one team, US, that will be more than happy to rub their noses in it.

[clover]

I'm hoping the lockout will end before the season, but regardless of that, are we still legitimate threats for the championship? It appears that we're going to have 4 youngsters on our roster next season. Avery, JJ, E'Twuan, and Gilbert Brown. Those are all four players who could make a 9 man playoff rotation, in time. But not this years playoffs. They're all too young and inexperienced. Even though we do have a lot of veterans to show them the ropes. Avery must have benefited tremendously from being around Shaq, who was signing with the Orlando Magic while Avery was still in pampers. So, Even though the Celtics front the appearance of the big 4, are we rebuilding? Getting ready to sign young wings and a big man in the middle to replace the big 3 and make them the bench 3?very was still in pampers. So, Even though the Celtics front the appearance of the big 4, are we rebuilding? Getting ready to sign young wings and a big man in the middle to replace the big 3 and make them the bench 3?

One of those four could break through and make this year's playoff rotation.  JJ has the best chance, but any of the others could become a defensive demon.

[PosImpos]

this year we are still in the mix
if this year ever happens

with healthy big 4 and JO we can still compete
if delonte and if jeff green are here
of course those are 3 ifs in 7 players
including 4 heathy ifs that makes 7 out of 7
those are a lot of ifs
but Dallas had almost the same No. of ifs starting this year
a lot of risks equals a lots of prices

Dallas won without Butler, which is like us without Green.

Not really . . . we don't have anybody on our roster who can give us the inside presence that the combo of Chandler / Haywood gave the Mavs.  Our bench, at least right now, is not nearly on the same level as the Mavs bench.

Most importantly, we don't have an offensive player of Dirk's caliber.  It's not reasonable to think that anybody on the Celtics right now could have a run where they are the most dominant player in the playoffs -- and that's what Dirk had to do in order to carry the Mavs to a title.

[MBz]

Eh, we're in it, but we're not.  We have a chance, but it's a small chance.  I think you need a top 10 scorer in the league to win a championship.  It doesn't need to be one of the top 10 players in the league, but you need someone who can score 25 every game.  The Celtics don't have that.  Pierce can't do it anymore.  In 2008, he could and did do it in the playoffs and obviously we know how that turned out.  The Celtics just don't have enough scoring power on the current roster for us to win it all.

[Cman]

yes, absolutely.
We need a backup center, but our starting lineup had 4 all stars this past year.

[timpiker]

I kind of agree...we need someone that can rebound which Perk did not do.

[clover]

The C's are a good trade, a couple of good minor signings and an operative season away from being contenders.

[clover]

The C's are a good trade, a good MLE and couple of good minor signings and an operative season away from being contenders.