C's are clearly not contenders

[rondohondo]

I know we all got excited after the winning streak, but IMO the C's clearly aren't contenders . It's just a waste of a season trying to make the playoffs. The best thing the c's could do is try to trade one of the big 3 for future prospects


Maybe Ray and a 1st for Kevin Martin ?

I'm sure you all heard it before ,but please Danny make a move to put us in the lottery  

[Who]

I think they need to add another impact player (like Varejao) to put them back into contention.

I'd like to see Danny commit one way or the other. Either find that player, bring him on board and give the Big Three one last shot at this or begin rebuilding and do whatever gives the team it's best chance going forward (higher draft pick, dumping some vets for picks/youngsters).

[cman88]

besides the Heat/Bulls, if we can play like we did the last 4games(before this cavs game where we choked) who in the East dont you think we can hang with especially once Rondo our Allstar PG comes back??

as a team we usually have peaked early and then hit a brick wall...but hopefully we've reversed that so far. I feel a streak coming on IMO

[indeedproceed]

Well, eh.

Prolly not. You can't put the Cs into the same class as Miami, OKC, or Chicago. Even teams like LA, LA, Portland, and even Denver or Philly look like a class above us right now.

But, you obviously can't count them out of the playoffs, and until there is a move that guarantees that we're in for a season of see-saw like proportions. String of strong wins, tough to swallow losses at the hands of teams that are clearly not up to snuff, and wild reactions to both things from the press and the fans.

[rondohondo]

besides the Heat/Bulls, if we can play like we did the last 4games(before this cavs game where we choked) who in the East dont you think we can hang with especially once Rondo our Allstar PG comes back??

as a team we usually have peaked early and then hit a brick wall...but hopefully we've reversed that so far. I feel a streak coming on IMO

I hear your optimism and I wanna believe we can be contenders too, but do you really believe the C's will finish strong ? It's only going to get worse, especially when the hit the road for a 7 game road trip . They won't win any of the back ends of back to backs. They are a .500 team at best IMO.

[PosImpos]

I think they need to add another impact player (like Varejao) to put them back into contention.

I'd like to see Danny commit one way or the other. Either find that player, bring him on board and give the Big Three one last shot at this or begin rebuilding and do whatever gives the team it's best chance going forward (higher draft pick, dumping some vets for picks/youngsters).

Adding an inside presence like Varejao to play center would certainly make a big difference.  I'm not sure it would make us contenders, but it would make a world of difference.

Unfortunately, such players don't come cheap; I don't see any way the Celtics could acquire that kind of player without giving up too much to remain really competitive.


In any case, nothing that has happened this season has changed my conviction that this team's ceiling is a 2nd round exit, just strengthened it.

[gpap]

I know we all got excited after the winning streak, but IMO the C's clearly aren't contenders . It's just a waste of a season trying to make the playoffs. The best thing the c's could do is try to trade one of the big 3 for future prospects


Maybe Ray and a 1st for Kevin Martin ?

I'm sure you all heard it before ,but please Danny make a move to put us in the lottery 

Here we go again. How on earth does it benefit the Celtics and the fans to aim for the lottery rather than a championship? Please explain that to me. Okay, so the Celtics screwed up in the 4th quarter tonight vs Cleveland. I would much rather they competed THIS YEAR, I repeat THIS YEAR rather than go through the same you know what, we went through between 2005-2007 before KG and Ray came on board.

[rondohondo]

I know we all got excited after the winning streak, but IMO the C's clearly aren't contenders . It's just a waste of a season trying to make the playoffs. The best thing the c's could do is try to trade one of the big 3 for future prospects


Maybe Ray and a 1st for Kevin Martin ?

I'm sure you all heard it before ,but please Danny make a move to put us in the lottery 

Here we go again. How on earth does it benefit the Celtics and the fans to aim for the lottery rather than a championship? Please explain that to me. Okay, so the Celtics screwed up in the 4th quarter tonight vs Cleveland. I would much rather they competed THIS YEAR, I repeat THIS YEAR rather than go through the same you know what, we went through between 2005-2007 before KG and Ray came on board.

you mean the same " you know what " that allowed us to draft players that we evetually traded for Ray and KG ?

If the c's got a lottery pick this year they could land a major piece for the future OR they could trade it for an all-star player , especially with their ability to take on a contract without sending any salary back because they will have so much cap room....

[GreenFaith1819]

Can we hold off on these predictions?

Aren't the Lakers, DAL, Spurs - right around 500, too? And I'm sure we'll see those three in the playoffs.

Contenders? Right now? No - but again it's still too early to call it for me.

[PosImpos]

Can we hold off on these predictions?

Aren't the Lakers, DAL, Spurs - right around 500, too? And I'm sure we'll see those three in the playoffs.

Contenders? Right now? No - but again it's still too early to call it for me.

The difference with the Lakers and Mavs, at least, is that they both have legit superstars on their rosters still -- though I wouldn't put much money on either team going far in the playoffs.

It's all about OKC, Chicago, Miami this season, with a few second tier teams like the Sixers and Nuggets that might pull an upset but not go all the way.

[GreenFaith1819]

Can we hold off on these predictions?

Aren't the Lakers, DAL, Spurs - right around 500, too? And I'm sure we'll see those three in the playoffs.

Contenders? Right now? No - but again it's still too early to call it for me.

The difference with the Lakers and Mavs, at least, is that they both have legit superstars on their rosters still -- though I wouldn't put much money on either team going far in the playoffs.

It's all about OKC, Chicago, Miami this season, with a few second tier teams like the Sixers and Nuggets that might pull an upset but not go all the way.

True, but the way Paul had been playing during our win streak - he's been Player of the Week - like.

Also - CHI's dealing with injuries...OKC lost their backup PG (Maynor) for the season...DWade just came back.

Even the elite teams are susceptible to injuries.

For me, there are still wildcards in play.

[gpap]

I know we all got excited after the winning streak, but IMO the C's clearly aren't contenders . It's just a waste of a season trying to make the playoffs. The best thing the c's could do is try to trade one of the big 3 for future prospects


Maybe Ray and a 1st for Kevin Martin ?

I'm sure you all heard it before ,but please Danny make a move to put us in the lottery  

Here we go again. How on earth does it benefit the Celtics and the fans to aim for the lottery rather than a championship? Please explain that to me. Okay, so the Celtics screwed up in the 4th quarter tonight vs Cleveland. I would much rather they competed THIS YEAR, I repeat THIS YEAR rather than go through the same you know what, we went through between 2005-2007 before KG and Ray came on board.

you mean the same " you know what " that allowed us to draft players that we evetually traded for Ray and KG ?

If the c's got a lottery pick this year they could land a major piece for the future OR they could trade it for an all-star player , especially with their ability to take on a contract without sending any salary back because they will have so much cap room....

Different time, different situation. At that time, you had GM's like Sam Presti and Kevin McHale that were willing to blow up their teams and rebuild from scratch. Thus, they traded Ray Allen and KG.

Fast forward 5 years later, no such luck. There are no franchise players about to be traded and if so, the Celts do not have pieces. Right now, MOST of the top NBA talent are locked under long-term deals (Lebron, Wade, Rose, Durant, Westbrook, Love, Griffin, etc.)

The only players I can think off that are "franchise" players are Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and D Williams that will become free agents in the next couple years. Danny already tried for Paul, didn't work. He'll probably try for Howard, but it won't work.

Best thing for the Celts is to keep the contention going, and hope that with the "cap space" you can attract a good player via free agency. I'd even settle for a Gerald Wallace, OJ Mayo or Roy Hibbert type. Would much rather be a 5-7 seed in the East instead of sacrifice the next 3-5 seasons, hoping you can land the next KG and Ray Allen.

[cman88]

Can we hold off on these predictions?

Aren't the Lakers, DAL, Spurs - right around 500, too? And I'm sure we'll see those three in the playoffs.

Contenders? Right now? No - but again it's still too early to call it for me.

The difference with the Lakers and Mavs, at least, is that they both have legit superstars on their rosters still -- though I wouldn't put much money on either team going far in the playoffs.

It's all about OKC, Chicago, Miami this season, with a few second tier teams like the Sixers and Nuggets that might pull an upset but not go all the way.

we said that last season...and look what happened...the Mavericks won the championship.

at some point these young teams will take over..but theres no surefire "its this year!"

besides, with the way pierce has been playing lately and the improvements of Rondo, don't we have stars who can take over a game still? I'm not ready to give up on the season JUST as we are finally starting to hit our stride.

[Celtics4ever]

I think we are a .500 team if we keep playing this way.  We played to the level of our opponents tonight and it bite us for doing so.   I have no doubt we are a better team than the cavs.  With Rondo back and the starters playing better we might be a .52-54% team.

[GreenFaith1819]

Also - tonight, IMO, was certainly one of those games where Rondo would've been helpful.

As great as Paul has played here recently - Rondo is yet another playmaker we can use.

We are clearly a better team with Rajon Rondo.