7 or 8 playoff seed or Lottery pick?

[rondohondo]

Playoffs.


Remember the last shorten season, the Knicks (I believe the 8th seed, maybe 7th) went to the finals.  

They were the 8th seed, but NY was a team comprised of solid players all in their prime (spreewell, grandmama, houston, camby, k. thomas, and ward)  aside from Ewing and Ewing missed 12 of the 50 games and Spreewell missed 13 so that was a team that was better than their record.  The Celtics are not that team and unlike the Spurs that year don't have a Tim Duncan to carry the old men down the stretch.

They were also a team that took most the season to get everyone up to speed.


Come playoff time, Pierce in shape, KG stepping up his game in the playoffs (much like a Duncan does)...


I rather the team have the chance with these players then low lotto pick.

Wow Duncan steps up his game in the playoffs and his team gets booted in the first round as a # 1 seed, The c's will likely be 7 or 8 vs Mia or chi, not liking those chances.

This team is not going anywhere take off those green tinted glasses.

Trade JO for 2nd rd pick and expiring to any contender that needs a backup C. See if you can get any deal for KG that could land us a 1st round pick.(Camby just got injured, Kg for camby, filler and a pick or make it bigger and try to send them Bass,kg,Pietrus for Camby and Batum. Bass will likely opt out anyways.


Basically tank the season please,this is a big chance to land a major young talent and trade chip.

[saltlover]

If it's between sneaking into the playoffs and getting the 13th or 14th pick, then yes, let's get in.  The way we're playing however, the 7th or 8th pick isn't out of the question.

I mean, yes, I want the Celtics in the playoffs.  But come trade deadline time, if we're still in this rut, and are as close to the 4th pick as we are the playoffs (like we are now), I would be upset if Danny didn't get whatever he could in a race for the bottom.

[lepoooo]

What's the point of going to the PO for a 1st round exit when you can make some moves, "tank" and go for a top 10 pick?

The over-optimistic fans around here just don't want to look the things the way they really are. Even if the team improves, there is no way they win a title in 2012, so, again, what's the point?

And ppl, we are not talking about a choice between PO+15th or 16th pick and No PO+13th or 14th pick. Tanking means going for young players through trades, letting the team sink with them after the deadline. I'm sure  DA can make that team bad enough to compete for a top 10 pick.

[pearljammer10]

  I look at it differently.  I look at it as we're rebuilding a season or two later then was originally projected when the Big Three first came together.

  As to the question.  A 7th or 8th seed and a 1st round exit wouldn't necessarily hurt going forward because the cap space will still be there.  We don't get lucky in the lottery anyways.  I just question whether or not this team can even get into the playoffs.  The schedule gets a lot tougher going forward with many more road games ahead.

  If at some point in a few weeks if thing don't look better and a contender is willing to give you value(young player or draft pick) for one of our veteran then I say do it.  That cap space is likely to be used to bring in someone via trade rather then as a FA anyways.  The best FA's probably won be interested  in coming to a rebuilding team and we don't need to use it to sign middle of the road guys like Detroit did with Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon.

Here's my biggest thing. If we are 4 - 8 after having so many games at home, how on earth are we going to keep up with the road games this season? That scares me greatly.

[wdleehi]

What's the point of going to the PO for a 1st round exit when you can make some moves, "tank" and go for a top 10 pick?

The over-optimistic fans around here just don't want to look the things the way they really are. Even if the team improves, there is no way they win a title in 2012, so, again, what's the point?

And ppl, we are not talking about a choice between PO+15th or 16th pick and No PO+13th or 14th pick. Tanking means going for young players through trades, letting the team sink with them after the deadline. I'm sure  DA can make that team bad enough to compete for a top 10 pick.

Because there are not a lot of chances to make trades that improve this teams future.  KG makes to much money.  Ray makes a lot of money.

How do you trade them for future pieces without taking back future money?

[esel1000]

if this is what we're going to expect for the season id rather just miss the playoffs and get a good lottery pick. much more beneficial to the future and to a team that will be in the early rebuilding stages

[SHAQATTACK]

I'm not confident at all to think the C's as a team will get good enough to win more games than they loose. There is a ton of road games and if these guys can't get wins at home now against good teams , then their old tired bodies are most likey to be worse off with injuries than they are now down the road with more wear and tear..

If you are about winning , then you are about rebuilding this team with some new fresh basketball stars out of college.
Winning just enough games to make the playoffs every year is boring and sucks.  Being second is for losers and for me is not an option.

Good for the team IF they manage to make the playoffs , like to see the big three leave as winners.

IF we don't make the playoffs I won't shed a tear , I think we need the lottery to land potential franchise talent , since the present superstars still young enough to build around don't seem to want to LIVE or PLAY in Boston.

[jacksmedulaoblongata]

If Doc Rivers is still the coach(which I assume he will be next year) I want the playoff spot. Doc won't play the kid anyway. Doc would rather watch veterans who have reached their ceiling, and supposedly know what there doin screw up, than let young players who can learn from experience, their mistakes and actually improve on them screw up.

[wdleehi]

I'm not confident at all to think the C's as a team will get good enough to win more games than they loose. There is a ton of road games and if these guys can't get wins at home now against good teams , then their old tired bodies are most likey to be worse off with injuries than they are now down the road with more wear and tear..

If you are about winning , then you are about rebuilding this team with some new fresh basketball stars out of college.
Winning just enough games to make the playoffs every year is boring and sucks.  Being second is for losers and for me is not an option.

Good for the team IF they manage to make the playoffs , like to see the big three leave as winners.

IF we don't make the playoffs I won't shed a tear , I think we need the lottery to land potential franchise talent , since the present superstars still young enough to build around don't seem to want to LIVE or PLAY in Boston.

But what deals can the Celtics make with KG or Ray's contract that brings back good young talent without cap baggage? 



That's the problem right now with "blowing it up".  The Celtics players are making a lot in the last year of the contracts and there doesn't look like there are good landing places out there that help the Celtics in the future. 

[Kane3387]

I think Ray Allen could bring back OJ Mayo.

[CeltsAcumen]

I have no personal opinion on whether the Celtics should dump players before March 15, but I will say this is the year to do it.  The draft is loaded with top talent and even getting a 10-20 pick can bring back a franchise type of player.

[manl_lui]

how about make playoffs and get a decent draft pick?

compete in playoffs and come draft time, either trade up or use the pick we already have

[lepoooo]

But what deals can the Celtics make with KG or Ray's contract that brings back good young talent without cap baggage?  



That's the problem right now with "blowing it up".  The Celtics players are making a lot in the last year of the contracts and there doesn't look like there are good landing places out there that help the Celtics in the future.  

Why is it such an issue to bring back some salary in a trade?

Howard is not signing in Boston next summer anyway and beside him, the FA class is weak. RFA like Love or Gordon are gonna be maxed out by their teams (maybe even Hibbert for that matter), so what's the point of having 40 millions to spend?

Do you want to do it "Nets style" and sign Petro, Morrow and who knows what other average role players? The cap is only useful if you can sign some star players with it and it's not happening.

[CelticG1]

We are still only 12 games in.

I would be a little worried but with how freaked out some people get from  play to play  it just makes me metro a clearer head.

How are we even that much different from or team that lost in the finals 2 years ago?

[lepoooo]

We are still only 12 games in.

I would be a little worried but with how freaked out some people get from  play to play  it just makes me metro a clearer head.

How are we even that much different from or team that lost in the finals 2 years ago?

Well: 2 years older, some key role players have left, the comptition is stronger with the Heat/Bulls & Cie contending hard, the Perk trade, Green's heart surgery, oh and... age.