When do we start worrying?

[aporel#18]

as for me, i don't worry, i just lowered my expectations and will enjoy watching them

TP, Dark Lord. I love the Celtics and will keep watching games at 4:30AM no matter their record. But still, I think they'll keep things together like nickagneta said.

[ManUp]

Probably not until mid February.

This team is still out of shape and will round into form within the next couple weeks. In short order we could be 4-8.

But we then have a schedule with a lot of games but against teams that should be beatable:

Toronto
Phoenix
@ Washington
Orlando
@ Orlando
Indiana
Cleveland
@ Cleveland
Toronto
New York
Memphis
Charlotte

That's 12 games where I could see the Celtics easily going 8-4 and possibly 10-2 as they get in better shape and their roles become more defined.

If after that stretch they are in mid February and have a .500 record or better and are playing winning basketball, I can still see a third or 4th seed from winning the Atlantic and a strong playoff push.

If after that stretch they are still struggling and are more than 2 games below .500, not only is it time to worry, its time to think about trading expiring contracts for young assets and draft picks.

That stretch would've been a cake walk for these guys last year. I'm already worried, If we don't get more than 1 win against a quality opponent in that stretch I'm gonna turn into this guy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsx2vdn7gpY

[vinnie]

It is so inspiring that we have to look ahead on the schedule to see the bad teams the Celtics can beat. That says it all about this team. They will beat the dregs, but lose to most everyone else. As far as the 12 games listed, I see 8-4 at best. As far a old guys being out of shape, needing training camp, etc., why does it seem the Celtics are one of the only teams with this issue? Maybe we should talk to a 16-year vet like Kobe to see what his Magic is. Why is he in shape? I had no expectations this year, but they are even worse than I thought and I don't think they make the 38 wins I expected.

[Junkyard Dawg]

when they miss the playoffs, or when there is a major injury.  after what they did 2 years ago, there is absolutely no reason to think they don't have the ability to beat any team on any floor come playoff time.

[BballTim]

  For some people it started in 2009. Strike that, some people thought the team Danny assembled would top out as an ECF contender. For others it will happen if the team is still looking bad in another month. There's also people who have waver back and forth.

[MF Doom]

when we lose three straight at home

[nickagneta]

It is so inspiring that we have to look ahead on the schedule to see the bad teams the Celtics can beat. That says it all about this team. They will beat the dregs, but lose to most everyone else. As far as the 12 games listed, I see 8-4 at best. As far a old guys being out of shape, needing training camp, etc., why does it seem the Celtics are one of the only teams with this issue? Maybe we should talk to a 16-year vet like Kobe to see what his Magic is. Why is he in shape? I had no expectations this year, but they are even worse than I thought and I don't think they make the 38 wins I expected.

Geesh, I didn't know anyone pointed to specific games and said we would win those and lose those. I took a look at the road ahead and said 8-4 easy 10-2 possible. In that 10-2 they could beat everyone but lose the two games against Cleveland for all I know.

Also, being out of shape and/or not playing well has been a problem for many players across the league. David West, Andray Blatche, Jason Kidd, Brendan Haywood, Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Raymond Felton, Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Derek Fisher. The list goes on and on. Its an individual thing not a team collective thing.

Rondo, Ray, Bass, and the youngsters are in shape but KG, Pierce, Pietrus, and O'Neal are not. That is because of what they did in the off season. That's not on the team as a collective.

[GreenFaith1819]

When do we start worrying? Well, I don't know...let's ask the 1968-69 Boston Celtics........

http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1969.html

And:

http://www.nba.com/history/seasonreviews/1968-69/index.html

Season Review: 1968-69


Posted Oct 24 2011 8:50AM

When Wilt Chamberlain got traded for the second (and final) time in his career -- this time to the Lakers -- he and the L.A. faithful had championship dreams. Yet once again, the Celtics dashed the hopes of Chamberlain (and the Lakers).

This was a season when two rookies made huge waves. The San Diego Rockets' Elvin Hayes won the scoring title after averaging 28.4 points, while Baltimore's Wes Unseld joined Chamberlain as the only players to win the MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Unseld averaged 13.8 rebounds and was second only to Chamberlain with 18.2 rebounds.

Two new franchises -- the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks -- made their debut as expansion franchises. Walt Bellamy set a record for games played, too. Bellamy, who began the season with New York before a trade sent him to Detroit, ended up playing 88 games because the Knicks had a busier early season schedule.

The Knicks had long been a league doormat, making the playoffs just once from 1956-66. But a couple of interesting developments had occurred in New York that would have an impact down the road. Red Holzman, the former Hawks coach in Milwaukee and St. Louis, replaced Dick McGuire as Knicks coach in midseason and took the 15-22 Knicks to a 28-17 mark the rest of the way to reach the playoffs.

Rhodes Scholar Bill Bradley of Princeton, Walt Frazier of Southern Illinois and Phil Jackson of North Dakota all made their rookie debuts. And in December, the Knicks made another important addition, obtaining Dave DeBusschere from Detroit for Bellamy and Howie Komives.

Once the playoffs began, Boston and Los Angeles romped through the competition to set up The Finals. L.A. held home court advantage and, with the series tied 3-3, felt confident as Game 7 at The Forum approached. Owner Jack Kent Cooke had set up balloons in the ceiling to be released when the Lakers won it all. But Boston ended up making Los Angeles pay, thanks to a friendly bounce of a Don Nelson jump shot that all-but clinched the title.

Jerry West finished with 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in the Game 7 loss and was named Finals MVP, the first and only time the award has gone to a member of the losing team. Though the Celtics had won their 11th title in 13 seasons, it wasn't all good times in Boston. Three months after winning the title, Bill Russell announced his retirement.

For me, no matter how bad it looks, it's never over.

To me, Kevin Garnett is our Bill Russell. Wouldn't it be sweet for him to win it this year, and then walk off into the sunset like Bill Russell did here.

If he did, I wouldn't hate the man at all.

I know that KG is not playing anywhere near Bill Russell-like right now, but again - he's still our KG.

[vinnie]

This early in the season and we are already bringing out the 68-69 Celtics! 

[vinnie]

It is so inspiring that we have to look ahead on the schedule to see the bad teams the Celtics can beat. That says it all about this team. They will beat the dregs, but lose to most everyone else. As far as the 12 games listed, I see 8-4 at best. As far a old guys being out of shape, needing training camp, etc., why does it seem the Celtics are one of the only teams with this issue? Maybe we should talk to a 16-year vet like Kobe to see what his Magic is. Why is he in shape? I had no expectations this year, but they are even worse than I thought and I don't think they make the 38 wins I expected.

Geesh, I didn't know anyone pointed to specific games and said we would win those and lose those. I took a look at the road ahead and said 8-4 easy 10-2 possible. In that 10-2 they could beat everyone but lose the two games against Cleveland for all I know.

Also, being out of shape and/or not playing well has been a problem for many players across the league. David West, Andray Blatche, Jason Kidd, Brendan Haywood, Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Raymond Felton, Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Derek Fisher. The list goes on and on. Its an individual thing not a team collective thing.

Rondo, Ray, Bass, and the youngsters are in shape but KG, Pierce, Pietrus, and O'Neal are not. That is because of what they did in the off season. That's not on the team as a collective.

You are right that the scheduled eases up. The Celts should be 7-8 after their next 5 games. I guess the big question is, how long can they go beating the crap of the league, while losing to just about every decent team? And, will this be enough to get them to the playoffs?

[BballTim]

It is so inspiring that we have to look ahead on the schedule to see the bad teams the Celtics can beat. That says it all about this team. They will beat the dregs, but lose to most everyone else. As far as the 12 games listed, I see 8-4 at best. As far a old guys being out of shape, needing training camp, etc., why does it seem the Celtics are one of the only teams with this issue? Maybe we should talk to a 16-year vet like Kobe to see what his Magic is. Why is he in shape? I had no expectations this year, but they are even worse than I thought and I don't think they make the 38 wins I expected.

Geesh, I didn't know anyone pointed to specific games and said we would win those and lose those. I took a look at the road ahead and said 8-4 easy 10-2 possible. In that 10-2 they could beat everyone but lose the two games against Cleveland for all I know.

Also, being out of shape and/or not playing well has been a problem for many players across the league. David West, Andray Blatche, Jason Kidd, Brendan Haywood, Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Raymond Felton, Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Derek Fisher. The list goes on and on. Its an individual thing not a team collective thing.

Rondo, Ray, Bass, and the youngsters are in shape but KG, Pierce, Pietrus, and O'Neal are not. That is because of what they did in the off season. That's not on the team as a collective.

You are right that the scheduled eases up. The Celts should be 7-8 after their next 5 games. I guess the big question is, how long can they go beating the crap of the league, while losing to just about every decent team? And, will this be enough to get them to the playoffs?

  That formula worked pretty well for Miami last year.

[green7]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Rfba4OX9N8

i really think moore can be a game changer

moore,bradley,pietrus,johnson,stiemsma

^ doc is not checking every available option put rondo on the floor with moore etc and watch those fast breaks turn into points pierce garnett JO and ray will not run with rondo anymore they are getting old

[PosImpos]

It is so inspiring that we have to look ahead on the schedule to see the bad teams the Celtics can beat. That says it all about this team. They will beat the dregs, but lose to most everyone else. As far as the 12 games listed, I see 8-4 at best. As far a old guys being out of shape, needing training camp, etc., why does it seem the Celtics are one of the only teams with this issue? Maybe we should talk to a 16-year vet like Kobe to see what his Magic is. Why is he in shape? I had no expectations this year, but they are even worse than I thought and I don't think they make the 38 wins I expected.

Geesh, I didn't know anyone pointed to specific games and said we would win those and lose those. I took a look at the road ahead and said 8-4 easy 10-2 possible. In that 10-2 they could beat everyone but lose the two games against Cleveland for all I know.

Also, being out of shape and/or not playing well has been a problem for many players across the league. David West, Andray Blatche, Jason Kidd, Brendan Haywood, Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Raymond Felton, Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, Derek Fisher. The list goes on and on. Its an individual thing not a team collective thing.

Rondo, Ray, Bass, and the youngsters are in shape but KG, Pierce, Pietrus, and O'Neal are not. That is because of what they did in the off season. That's not on the team as a collective.

You are right that the scheduled eases up. The Celts should be 7-8 after their next 5 games. I guess the big question is, how long can they go beating the crap of the league, while losing to just about every decent team? And, will this be enough to get them to the playoffs?

  That formula worked pretty well for Miami last year.

right, cause miami won 58 games by beating only bad teams.

[Redz]

This early in the season and we are already bringing out the 68-69 Celtics! 

Well, it beats the 78-79 Celtics.

[green7]

doc just doesn't put trust in his rookies maybe he can be surprised like this one day *cough* moore! *cough*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Op-CdfiOI