Will this team make the playoffs?

[droopdog7]

Serious question.

It's pretty obvious that this team is not a contender by any stretch of the imagination.  And even completely healthy, we are a bottom half playoff team.  I would not be shocked if DA blew it up midseason, making the celts a potential lottery pick.

[PosImpos]

I think they will, but the way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if they're fighting until the last couple of weeks of the regular season to make it in.

First round exit looks like a virtual certainty, barring some kind of major shakeup around the trade deadline.


I'm with you, though -- if the Celtics are still struggling to stay around .500 a month and a half or so from now, I think DA should seriously explore just blowing up the team and trying to get some picks in the upcoming draft / tanking for a late-ish lottery pick.

[cman88]

I think they will, but the way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if they're fighting until the last couple of weeks of the regular season to make it in.

First round exit looks like a virtual certainty, barring some kind of major shakeup around the trade deadline.

I think this is a complete over-reaction statement to make...we really arent different than the #3 seed team we were last year.

right now what I see is that our leading scorer Pierce is NOT anywhere near game shape, and our whole team(save for allen/rondo/bass) doesnt have the conditioning/timing down yet.

I can see glimpses of what this team "can" be..how we just got back in the game after playing poorly for 3 quarters...but I think its going to take awhile before we are playing at the level we are accustomed to.

Heck, even the Mavs have looked horrible due to the same thing...conditioning

[celticinorlando]

7 seed...get the bulls in round 1

[GrandTheftRondo]

If the playoffs started today...we would be the 8th seed.

None of the teams below us have a chance at making the playoffs so yes we will make the playoffs as the 8th seed in the worst case scenario.

[celticinorlando]

i think if the draw miami or the bulls round one...they get swept

[Celts Fan 92]

I think they will, but the way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if they're fighting until the last couple of weeks of the regular season to make it in.

First round exit looks like a virtual certainty, barring some kind of major shakeup around the trade deadline.


I'm with you, though -- if the Celtics are still struggling to stay around .500 a month and a half or so from now, I think DA should seriously explore just blowing up the team and trying to get some picks in the upcoming draft / tanking for a late-ish lottery pick.

Wit the bolded iont think we'll continue to play THIS bad i got us as a 5th or 6th seed once we get things together

[the_Bird]

The team's sure been playing like about a 7 seed, haven't they?  Beating some of the league's dregs, but not quite able to get over the hump against any of the better teams.  It's kind of what I expected to see this year; they're warriors, so they aren't going to give up or tank, but they simply are not one of the three best teams in the conference any more and they don't look likely to get very deep in the playoffs.  They'll get some wins, they'll look better as Pierce and Pietrus round into shape, but it's hard for me to see what they can do to get significantly better by year-end.

With that said, I don't want to see them tank.  There's still enough talent where they aren't going to get a real high pick, anyway.  But, I don't want them to make desperate trades to shore up the bench, nothing that's going to sacrifice young players or draft picks.  Don't trade JJJ (or even AB) for a veteran guy to give bench scoring.  I don't see this as being a season where the young guys are going to get too much of an opportunity to play, but we're got to start rebuilding somewhere, rebuilding at least some potential future assets.  

So, I think they'll make the playoffs, but I don't think they'll go far, and the core of the team isn't good enough to justify sacrificing any more young/picks.  

EDIT: I also think we're seeing that it's not worth signing Ray Allen to an extension.  Love Ray Allen, he's probably been the team's MVP so far this year, and I have no doubt he'll be contributing SOMEWHERE for at least a few more seasons - but it's time to start rebuilding with some youth.  Don't sacrifice the cap space.

[cman88]

I honestly just dont see us being that bad the whole season..

If pierce is even anywhere near game shape we are a MUCH MUCH better team...but right now hes having no effect on the game and this is our leading scorer..

I think we'll get our stuff together as more games are played and guys start to get their timing and conditioning back.

[PosImpos]

I think they will, but the way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if they're fighting until the last couple of weeks of the regular season to make it in.

First round exit looks like a virtual certainty, barring some kind of major shakeup around the trade deadline.

we really arent different than the #3 seed team we were last year.

the team is older, the bench is less productive, they're much weaker at the center position (and smaller), the defense doesn't compare, KG seems to have lost a step, and they can't seem to get over the hump against good teams. 

also, the condensed season schedule really doesn't do them any favors.  just being as good as last year's team wouldn't even get them the 3rd seed in this kind of season, i don't think.  playing this badly, they'll be scraping to make the playoffs.

[PosImpos]

I think they will, but the way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if they're fighting until the last couple of weeks of the regular season to make it in.

First round exit looks like a virtual certainty, barring some kind of major shakeup around the trade deadline.


I'm with you, though -- if the Celtics are still struggling to stay around .500 a month and a half or so from now, I think DA should seriously explore just blowing up the team and trying to get some picks in the upcoming draft / tanking for a late-ish lottery pick.

Wit the bolded iont think we'll continue to play THIS bad i got us as a 5th or 6th seed once we get things together

the thing is, if they continue playing this way, with the games coming so fast, they're going to dig themselves such a hole that even if they put it together they'll still be scraping for a 7th or 8th seed by the end of the season.

just think -- if they drop the next 3 games, all very loseable, they'll be at 4-8 on the season.  that's a pretty big hole right there already.

[celticinorlando]

thing is the east is much better this year...philly looks great....atlanta looks better...the pacers are really good...and the knicks have some serious offense....that leaves boston in the 7 or 8 hole

[the_Bird]

I think we'll get our stuff together as more games are played and guys start to get their timing and conditioning back.

That may be true, but it's probably true for a good number of teams in the league.  Pierce's injury has set us back, but I don't see why the timing/conditioning thing is something particular to Boston.  Dallas looked pretty winded in the fourth quarter too, you know?

[cman88]

I think we'll get our stuff together as more games are played and guys start to get their timing and conditioning back.

That may be true, but it's probably true for a good number of teams in the league.  Pierce's injury has set us back, but I don't see why the timing/conditioning thing is something particular to Boston.  Dallas looked pretty winded in the fourth quarter too, you know?

its not particular to boston..Dallas just got over .500 tonight and looked pretty winded as well if it wasnt for Dirks heroics in the 4th

what we are seeing now is that the younger/athletic teams are off to a flying start. because those guys honestly dont need much to get back into shape.

I think alot of the older players are used to using the training camps/pre-season to work themselves into game shape..keep in mind this is pierces 5th game of the season.

I think we will be playing alot better in march/febuary than we are now

[SHAQATTACK]

It will touch and go for the Celtics to make the play offs . The "RUN" was over last year, we all knew it, but everybody wanted to watch us go to heck ., ok I love KG, but I don't want him on the team playing like this.  

I really think , we are going to get POUNDED in the ground this season and I don't expect more than 25 wins.

All the usually so called bad teams are now loaded with young talent, and the Lakers are making a run with their older , but not done team.

I'm not finding alot of pleasure in watching has beens get creamed, THERE IS NO FUTURE IN THAT to me

I 'd rather watch a bunch of rookies try and build something.

DH has nothing to come here for except Rhondo and Bass.  No wonder CP3 was blowing us off ..,  its a losing situation.