Who's giving the effort out there?! Here's who...

[EJPLAYA]

There are only a few guys on this team that are playing as hard as they possibly can and taking offense to how this team is playing:

Rondo
Ray
Bass
Pietrus (though not a big sample size)
Steimsma
Bradley (although I still don't think he belongs out there)

Only 2 of those are championship level players at this moment. (Rondo and Ray) We can throw out trade ideas all day long, but unless it involves one of those two, packaged with Bass or Pietrus possibly, we might as well keep what we got and play the young guys.

No one is giving anything up of decent value for KG or PP or JO. It is time to let the year play out, and amnesty PP next season. If you can get great value for Ray then you do it as much for his sake as ours. Rondo would have to be incredible value like an upcoming star plus a couple decent #1's. It is what it is guys, but the 08 Championship team old guys are now just used to bee's.

[pearljammer10]

I throw Wilcox into that mix... I love how he was the only player in the first half that was playing with excitement and energy...Then Doc takes him out....

Then KG hits two straight shots....And Doc takes him out.


Then Ray makes a good play and hits a big three... So Doc takes him out.


Like, seriously? I dont understand it.

[clover]

Doc would never, ever, ever do it, but I'd be fine with starting those first five until and unless JO, KG and PP started contributing at a higher level.

I actually think his move tonight may have got JO playing a little better already.

[EJPLAYA]

I throw Wilcox into that mix... I love how he was the only player in the first half that was playing with excitement and energy...Then Doc takes him out....

Then KG hits two straight shots....And Doc takes him out.


Then Ray makes a good play and hits a big three... So Doc takes him out.


Like, seriously? I dont understand it.

I debated adding Wilcox to the mix. I think he looked better tonight, however the last couple games hasn't seem to excited. I think he's a better option than JO at the center spot and KG for much of the PF minutes. I'd like to see him and Steimsma start down low and see what they can do. Tell them if they rebound they stay, and if they don't they come back to the pine.

[Casperian]

Only 2 of those are championship level players at this moment. (Rondo and Ray) We can throw out trade ideas all day long, but unless it involves one of those two, packaged with Bass or Pietrus possibly, we might as well keep what we got and play the young guys.

No one is giving anything up of decent value for KG or PP or JO. It is time to let the year play out, and amnesty PP next season. If you can get great value for Ray then you do it as much for his sake as ours. Rondo would have to be incredible value like an upcoming star plus a couple decent #1's. It is what it is guys, but the 08 Championship team old guys are now just used to bee's.

I agree, but I think you´re overrating Rondo.

He´s a good player, but not franchise player material. Considering the market, I think we can´t expect a deal of an upcoming star and a couple of decent #1´s for him. To be honest, I´d be ok with a bad contract and two #1´s in lottery territory.

[kozlodoev]

Everyone is giving an effort. It's not an effort issue, it the case where your best effort is no longer good enough, sadly.

[EJPLAYA]

Only 2 of those are championship level players at this moment. (Rondo and Ray) We can throw out trade ideas all day long, but unless it involves one of those two, packaged with Bass or Pietrus possibly, we might as well keep what we got and play the young guys.

No one is giving anything up of decent value for KG or PP or JO. It is time to let the year play out, and amnesty PP next season. If you can get great value for Ray then you do it as much for his sake as ours. Rondo would have to be incredible value like an upcoming star plus a couple decent #1's. It is what it is guys, but the 08 Championship team old guys are now just used to bee's.

I agree, but I think you´re overrating Rondo.

He´s a good player, but not franchise player material. Considering the market, I think we can´t expect a deal of an upcoming star and a couple of decent #1´s for him. To be honest, I´d be ok with a bad contract and two #1´s in lottery territory.

I've said around here multiple times that I don't think he is a franchise player to build around. He IS however the most valued player out there that we have, and there are a lot of teams like the Heat or Magic who are a Rondo away from a championship. I put Dallas in that mix as well. There are also quite a few who would THINK they are that with him on their squad as well. We will never get more value than we would right now for Rondo. I would probably be good with an expiring and 2 lotto's as well though. TP to you. 

[EJPLAYA]

Everyone is giving an effort. It's not an effort issue, it the case where your best effort is no longer good enough, sadly.

Don't tell me JO and KG and PP are giving full effort out there. They make no effort whatsoever to go after loose balls or rebounds. They don't hustle defensively like they have in the past. They are playing heartless basketball because all 3 of them know they are done. That doesn't take away from their past, but doesn't make me love them right now.

Go back and watch Larry Bird when he was in his last year. He could barely stand up straight yet he gave it EVERYTHING when he went out on that floor. That is what it means to be a Celtic. It's easy to have intensity when you're winning and stacked.

[Casperian]

Only 2 of those are championship level players at this moment. (Rondo and Ray) We can throw out trade ideas all day long, but unless it involves one of those two, packaged with Bass or Pietrus possibly, we might as well keep what we got and play the young guys.

No one is giving anything up of decent value for KG or PP or JO. It is time to let the year play out, and amnesty PP next season. If you can get great value for Ray then you do it as much for his sake as ours. Rondo would have to be incredible value like an upcoming star plus a couple decent #1's. It is what it is guys, but the 08 Championship team old guys are now just used to bee's.

I agree, but I think you´re overrating Rondo.

He´s a good player, but not franchise player material. Considering the market, I think we can´t expect a deal of an upcoming star and a couple of decent #1´s for him. To be honest, I´d be ok with a bad contract and two #1´s in lottery territory.

I've said around here multiple times that I don't think he is a franchise player to build around. He IS however the most valued player out there that we have, and there are a lot of teams like the Heat or Magic who are a Rondo away from a championship. I put Dallas in that mix as well. There are also quite a few who would THINK they are that with him on their squad as well. We will never get more value than we would right now for Rondo. I would probably be good with an expiring and 2 lotto's as well though. TP to you. 

Agreed, but neither the Heat, Magic or Mavericks can give us a young upcoming star or decent #1 picks, unless it´s a three-way. Unfortunately, the market for PG´s is pretty much saturated. It would have to be a team with a young nucleus trying to make the playoffs, who would rather have one bird in the hand than two in the bush.

[KCattheStripe]

From what I saw tonight live, everyone's busting their butts. KG and Paul just don't have it anymore.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

From what I saw tonight live, everyone's busting their butts. KG and Paul just don't have it anymore.

Agreed. I think they're just way out of gas right now. Doc really needs to keep their minutes down and rely on the bench a bit more.

[PosImpos]

Rondo - Ray - Pietrus - Bass - Stiemsma


Sadly, I think you're right -- that's probably our best lineup right now. 

Vomit.

[pearljammer10]

Rondo - Ray - Pietrus - Bass - Stiemsma


Sadly, I think you're right -- that's probably our best lineup right now. 

Vomit.

When we got to one... The line up I would have gone with would have been Rondo - Ray - Pietrus - Bass and Wilcox.... We needed energy and athleticism. Put in the athletes that can bang the boards and run a bit at the end of the game for some easy buckets. Ray and Pietrus to spread the floor, Bass and Wilcox get up and down and do the dirty work. Especially against the run and gun style of the Bulls.

The game has been evolving for a few years now and we are at a point where half court offense isnt a priority....Especially when it is ran so poorly as the Celtics have been running it.

[manl_lui]

to be honest, Bradley's defense on Rose wasn't all that bad...if only he can start developing an offense...

it wasn't a bad game, down 20, we could've just gave up, but we crawled all the way down 1

[PosImpos]

Rondo - Ray - Pietrus - Bass - Stiemsma


Sadly, I think you're right -- that's probably our best lineup right now. 

Vomit.

When we got to one... The line up I would have gone with would have been Rondo - Ray - Pietrus - Bass and Wilcox.... We needed energy and athleticism. Put in the athletes that can bang the boards and run a bit at the end of the game for some easy buckets. Ray and Pietrus to spread the floor, Bass and Wilcox get up and down and do the dirty work. Especially against the run and gun style of the Bulls.

The game has been evolving for a few years now and we are at a point where half court offense isnt a priority....Especially when it is ran so poorly as the Celtics have been running it.

Expecting Doc to recognize that the best lineup to use is a quick, young, athletic one, comprised largely of players who haven't yet earned his trust, is, sadly, pretty unreasonable.