Will this team make the playoffs?

[slamtheking]

Yes, which team in the east that did not go to the playoffs last year is capable of beating the Celtics over 66 games?

The Wizards? The Cavaliers? The Nets? The Bobcats?

Come on people.

If we were in the Western Conference, then it might be more interesting.

Answer: The same eight teams in the East are going back to the playoffs.

I think this is the answer to the question basically -- C's will make the playoffs simply because there are so many teams in the East that are lousy.
figure Miami, Chi, NY, Philly, Indy, Orlando, Atlanta as possibly the top 7 seeds.
Whose left? --> Wash, Cavs, Nets, Bobcats, Raptors, Bucks, Pistons as the bottom 7.  None of them figure to beat out the C's.

Celts are smack in the middle of the pack in the conference.  They'll probably jockey with Orlando for the 7th seed but is that really going to be satisfy anyone?  I doubt it.  If the C's don't get it together by the trading deadline, Danny should start the rebuilding by the trading deadline.  Acquire cheap assets for next year and conserve cap room for the FA marketin 2013 when a number of very good players, potential cornerstones, become available.

[snively]

Ray and Pierce will be better.  Enough to win games like this and push us into the playoffs.

KG/JO will have to be better for us to have a shot out of the first round though.

JO is in the top 10 in the league in terms of waste of money. He has nothing left. He will give you a good game every 5 or 6 games. He is cooked. The only guy on the front line who has lift is Brandon Bass.

I'm not so sure of that.

JO's weak on the boards and a marginal offensive player, but he plays good defense, sometimes excellent defense. The problem is when you play him alongside KG and a recuperating (and really slow) Paul Pierce, his weaknesses (slow getting off the ground, can't cover space quickly) are left exposed: no one's there to cover for him consistently, and vice versa.

With KG's loss in quickness and Pierce slowed, we are too slow to get away with JO as our main center.  That doesn't mean JO has nothing to contribute.

[greenpride32]

Whose left? --> Wash, Cavs, Nets, Bobcats, Raptors, Bucks, Pistons as the bottom 7.  None of them figure to beat out the C's.

Only team of that bunch I could possibly see getting #8 is the Bucks.  But really just making the playoffs is not an accomplishment in the east given all the garbage teams at the bottom.

[Celtics18]

Whose left? --> Wash, Cavs, Nets, Bobcats, Raptors, Bucks, Pistons as the bottom 7.  None of them figure to beat out the C's.

Only team of that bunch I could possibly see getting #8 is the Bucks.  But really just making the playoffs is not an accomplishment in the east given all the garbage teams at the bottom.

It is an accomplishment if you can manage to pull an upset once you get to the playoffs.

[Redz]

Call me overconfident, but I think they,ll make it

[ManchesterCelticsFan]

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.

That's how I feel -- I'd rather watch a team of up and coming young players with a possible/potential future than old vets getting worse, fading into the sunset with seemingly no real shot at a championship. The longer the contracts on the older players when they "lose it", the worse it is, delaying the rebuilding process. I'm glad Danny has  it set up 2012 Summer as the "Blow Up" summer with KG/RA coming off the books if DH won't come here.

That's also a good point about CP3 and I'm wondering the same thing in hindsight about David West. Maybe they knew the C's, KG/PP specifically were out of shape, focusing too much on the lockout negotiations and that factored into play. (not only the $$$, weather, glamor, celebs, and/or future with younger better players signed beyond this year)

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Ray and Pierce will be better.  Enough to win games like this and push us into the playoffs.

KG/JO will have to be better for us to have a shot out of the first round though.

JO is in the top 10 in the league in terms of waste of money. He has nothing left. He will give you a good game every 5 or 6 games. He is cooked. The only guy on the front line who has lift is Brandon Bass.

I'm not so sure of that.

JO's weak on the boards and a marginal offensive player, but he plays good defense, sometimes excellent defense. The problem is when you play him alongside KG and a recuperating (and really slow) Paul Pierce, his weaknesses (slow getting off the ground, can't cover space quickly) are left exposed: no one's there to cover for him consistently, and vice versa.

With KG's loss in quickness and Pierce slowed, we are too slow to get away with JO as our main center.  That doesn't mean JO has nothing to contribute.

Yep, this is how I feel, JO is a backup center no more no less (if we are talking about winning a chip)!

[slamtheking]

Whose left? --> Wash, Cavs, Nets, Bobcats, Raptors, Bucks, Pistons as the bottom 7.  None of them figure to beat out the C's.

Only team of that bunch I could possibly see getting #8 is the Bucks.  But really just making the playoffs is not an accomplishment in the east given all the garbage teams at the bottom.

It is an accomplishment if you can manage to pull an upset once you get to the playoffs.

but the #8 seed would have to pull off 3 upsets just to get to the finals and then pull off one more for the title.

[Celtics18]

Whose left? --> Wash, Cavs, Nets, Bobcats, Raptors, Bucks, Pistons as the bottom 7.  None of them figure to beat out the C's.

Only team of that bunch I could possibly see getting #8 is the Bucks.  But really just making the playoffs is not an accomplishment in the east given all the garbage teams at the bottom.

It is an accomplishment if you can manage to pull an upset once you get to the playoffs.

but the #8 seed would have to pull off 3 upsets just to get to the finals and then pull off one more for the title.

Well, sure they would, but if the number eight seed knocked off the Miami Heat in the first round, I would consider the 2011-2012 campaign a success no matter how far they advanced after that. 

Whether it's the first round, the second round, or the third round, I really want another shot at the Miami Heat.  I may be crazy, but I think we have a shot to upset them in a seven game series. 

[BASS_THUMPER]

we will battle hard for a playoff spot and i really dont wanna see us gettin that far and fallin off early

[BASS_THUMPER]

Ray and Pierce will be better.  Enough to win games like this and push us into the playoffs.

KG/JO will have to be better for us to have a shot out of the first round though.

JO is in the top 10 in the league in terms of waste of money. He has nothing left. He will give you a good game every 5 or 6 games. He is cooked. The only guy on the front line who has lift is Brandon Bass.

I'm not so sure of that.

JO's weak on the boards and a marginal offensive player, but he plays good defense, sometimes excellent defense. The problem is when you play him alongside KG and a recuperating (and really slow) Paul Pierce, his weaknesses (slow getting off the ground, can't cover space quickly) are left exposed: no one's there to cover for him consistently, and vice versa.

With KG's loss in quickness and Pierce slowed, we are too slow to get away with JO as our main center.  That doesn't mean JO has nothing to contribute.

Yep, this is how I feel, JO is a backup center no more no less (if we are talking about winning a chip)!

lays or pringles?

[droopdog7]

I'm thinking it's time to revisit this question again.  We'll be a 7 or 8 maybe with what we have.  DA will decide its not worth it and blow it up.

We won't make the playoffs.

[LarBrd33]

I'm thinking it's time to revisit this question again.  We'll be a 7 or 8 maybe with what we have.  DA will decide its not worth it and blow it up.

We won't make the playoffs.

There isn't a lot Ainge can do to blow it up right now, because there are no real trade partners to match the salaries of Ray, KG or Pierce.   We'll kinda just need to watch this farewell tour and wait until next year.

[Eja117]

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.

I don't think playoff teams do what the Celts are a playoff team right now.  Maybe a first round exit to the #1 seed at best. I think they're only shot at the playoffs is freak injury on other teams

[birdwatcher]

I just don't see it. I know it's a small sample of the season, but look at it like this--by Tuesday morning it will be very likely that this team is 4-8. That's 12 games in a 66 game season. In almost 1/5th of the season, we are below .500 while there are many other faster, younger, and in some cases more talented teams than us. We're not going to get younger, it's not a matter of not knowing the offense or defense, we just don't have the legs or enough talent on the bench to make the post season.