When do we start worrying?

[Kiorrik]

Being a .500 team might not be enough, and right now we're beneath that mark. So at what point do we start worrying? There are 66 games? We can only get 33 losses, tops. So when do we worry? At what point is our record bringing us in serious jeopardy?

In other words, at what point does the season tip over into something pretty much "undoable"?

Bah.

At what point did you guys worry for the off-season in pre 07/08 times?

[lightspeed5]

never worry.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Pretty close. We played good teams down the stretch and most of those loses were pretty close. If we start losing to bad teams, then I'd worry.

[nickagneta]

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.

[jimmehx]

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.

I really like this thinking. TP man

[Dante]

I only worry when I have something to lose.

[PosImpos]

If it's the All-Star break and the team is below .500, it's officially time to worry that they won't make the playoffs.

I think if that happens, though, Danny will make some sort of major move, either to go all-in to be as competitive as possible for one last push while still preserving cap space (unlikely), or just to blow it up and gather some meager assets going into this summer while still maintaining some semblance of trying to be a playoff team to appease ticket-holders.

[timpiker]

"Start" worrying?  Is that what they said on the Titanic after hitting the iceberg?

[dark_lord]

there is no collective "we", people will worry when they do.  for some, it wont be until playoff time, while others were worried on xmas day.

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

[Celtics18]

Being a .500 team might not be enough, and right now we're beneath that mark. So at what point do we start worrying? There are 66 games? We can only get 33 losses, tops. So when do we worry? At what point is our record bringing us in serious jeopardy?

In other words, at what point does the season tip over into something pretty much "undoable"?

Bah.

At what point did you guys worry for the off-season in pre 07/08 times?

Worried?  I'm pretty worried right now.  

[wdleehi]

When Ainge starts making "Ny Knick" trades



You know, when they traded Ewing in his last year for another older long term contract.  Then they did it again.  And again.


Their record sunk and sunk deeper.  They finally got out of it last year.

[Donoghus]

Like some here have mentioned, I think mid-February is a good time to start worrying. If they're sub .500 then, I'll certainly be alarmed for this team's prospects.

I still think a lot of the woes can be attributed to conditioning and the olders guys like Pierce and KG not having their basketball legs back yet. A month from now should be a better gauge.

[footey]

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.

10-2?  I just don't see the possiblity of that, given who we are. 

[kozlodoev]

Being a .500 team might not be enough, and right now we're beneath that mark. So at what point do we start worrying? There are 66 games? We can only get 33 losses, tops. So when do we worry? At what point is our record bringing us in serious jeopardy?

In other words, at what point does the season tip over into something pretty much "undoable"?

Bah.

At what point did you guys worry for the off-season in pre 07/08 times?

I started worrying 3 games in.

[dark_lord]

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.

10-2?  I just don't see the possiblity of that, given who we are. 

i agree.  i wouldnt put it out of the realm of possibility, but i think its unlikely.  i see us going about 7-5