Are we really that bad?

[ScoobyDoo]

I think if we stay healthy - as is necessary for all teams to expect to compete - that we are actually a top five team with a good a shot as anyone to win a title this year.

Oklahoma City: 16-4
Chicago: 18-5
Miami: 16-5
Clippers: 12-6
Denver: 14-6
Philadelphia: 15-6
Atlanta: 15-6
Indy: 13-6
Dallas: 14-8

San Antonio, Lakers, Portland, Houston, Magic and Memphis all with 9 or 10 losses...

We're 9-10:
* We were obviously unprepared and out of shape to start the season, as acknowledged by both Doc and Ainge.
* Pierce was nowhere near normal form due to injury until the last 6-7 games 
* Pietrus didn't join us until about game 10 or so
* Rondo and Ray have both missed multiple games, as has Jermaine.

I'm not trying to make excuses, just laying out the facts and want to ask the question:

Is it reasonable to suggest that had Pierce and Pietrus been 100% to start the year and had Ray, Rondo and Jermaine not been injured as we have started to round into game shape the last 2-3 weeks, that we might have 4-5 "less" losses so far and have a mark of 13-6 or 14-5 - tied for the best record in the East and one loss back of the best record in the West? Would we all be singing a different song?

We'll know a lot more over the next 2-3 weeks on exactly how good this team is, starting with how they respond to a ridiculous and unacceptable loss to Cleveland Sunday.

I think this team is actually "a lot" better than it's record currently reflects.

I think it is moving closer to establishing it's identity right now and it's going to be a good one - a tough, scrappy, defensive team with smart offensive execution. We have a lot of nice elements (specialist players) to this incarnation of the Celtics, once it all comes together. I remain confident that we will enjoy a very exciting season from this Celtics squad with the possibility of a lot more noise than currently expected come playoff time.

Thoughts?         

[kozlodoev]

Is it reasonable to suggest that had Pierce and Pietrus been 100% to start the year and had Ray, Rondo and Jermaine not been injured as we have started to round into game shape the last 2-3 weeks, that we might have 4-5 "less" losses so far and have a mark of 13-6 or 14-5 - tied for the best record in the East and one loss back of the best record in the West? Would we all be singing a different song?

In vacuum, maybe. But most of the other teams you listed had also have rotation players miss games. So yeah, we're pretty much close to that bad, barring some expected random variation in record.

[ScoobyDoo]

I was wondering how long it would take someone to call me on that point...

and I see your point but I have to remain optimistic to survive the season thus far.

[PosImpos]

Even if the C's hadn't struggled with injuries and thus had one of the best regular season records, my opinion about this team's likely post-season fate would not really be changed.

I look at the roster and I don't see a significant improvement over what we were putting on the floor in the playoffs last season.  That group wasn't good enough to win a title, so I don't see how this one would be good enough.

In short, in my opinion there were glaring issues with this team at the end of last year that needed to be addressed in the off-season if we were going to have one last legitimate shot at a title.  Those issues weren't addressed; in fact, they were exacerbated (though I don't blame Ainge -- I think he did his best).

So are we really as bad as 9-10?  No, I don't think so -- although it is important to recognize that injuries are part of the game and everybody else is dealing with them.  However, regular season record doesn't necessarily mean much for how good your team is as a playoff contender.  Just ask the Spurs from last season.

[Eja117]

You might not "be" so bad, but if you play so bad that you lose at home to young losing teams, then yeah. You might just be pretty bad.  Might get better though

[Interceptor]

Winning a title is about making the playoffs and beating the teams that you are up against, not about good regular season records.

We have to get through the Eastern Conference (which most likely means dealing with the Heat and the Bulls), and then play the best team out of the West. That's it. Unless we're talking about people who think the C's miss the playoffs in this hilariously weak Eastern Conference, which doesn't happen unless Pierce gets hit by a bus, ultimately the match-ups against those teams are what matters in the end.

This team, can beat those teams in a 7-game series. Maybe it's not very likely, but it is possible.

[jsingh1699]

i agree with the view that because of injuries/conditioning, we should have a better record. maybe 12-7.

but one thing to consider: how are schedule was up until this point.

we played a ton of home games. most of our opponents (roughly 2/3) were pretty terrible teams (we played the wizards a couple times) AND we had multiple days of rest in between (before the thunder game, we basically had a week off).

i dont know what the schedule looks like going forward, but i can only assume it will be more road games in a compressed schedule (much more compressed than up until this point).

considering that, i'm not sure our record will show that we are really much better. i hope im wrong.

also, there is an article on espn insider (i dont have access) and supposedly theres something in there about why denver should go for garnett. if anyone could post that portion, much appreciated. would like to see the reasoning and what would be offered.

[CelticG1]

no we arent that bad. People wont believe unless the.record indicates it

I certainly don't think the pacers and.sixers are that good either.

Things will start to even out and as usual the playoffs will probably be pretty unpredictable again.

[EJPLAYA]

When you have no interior defense and no rebounding the rest really doesn't matter. You don't go anywhere in the playoffs without those. So until those two things are addressed, yes we really are that bad.

[PosImpos]

When you have no interior defense and no rebounding the rest really doesn't matter. You don't go anywhere in the playoffs without those. So until those two things are addressed, yes we really are that bad.

Yeah, I think this is probably the hard truth.

[Fafnir]

When you have no interior defense and no rebounding the rest really doesn't matter. You don't go anywhere in the playoffs without those. So until those two things are addressed, yes we really are that bad.

Yeah, I think this is probably the hard truth.

Our interior defense isn't the problem as much as rebounding and offense are. Being average intsead of top 10 in defensive boards along with our offensive woes is the reason for our decline. Though league wide our offense is around the same spot it was last year 18-20th.....

[PosImpos]

When you have no interior defense and no rebounding the rest really doesn't matter. You don't go anywhere in the playoffs without those. So until those two things are addressed, yes we really are that bad.

Yeah, I think this is probably the hard truth.

Our interior defense isn't the problem as much as rebounding and offense are. Being average intsead of top 10 in defensive boards along with our offensive woes is the reason for our decline. Though league wide our offense is around the same spot it was last year 18-20th.....

I agree that our offense is a big part of the problem.  You can be a contender with an average offense and an elite defense (or visa versa).  It's pretty difficult to be a contender with an offense (or defense) that is well below average.  There are just too many well balanced teams that will expose that in a 7 game series.

Our offense has placed a lot of pressure on the defense in year's past, and the defense has been mostly good enough to keep us very competitive.  As the defense has regressed, though, the offense has become more and more of a problem -- which is exacerbated by the fact that the offense is regressing, too.

[ScoobyDoo]

Good point regarding our schedule to date. I lean on the side of Interceptor and CelticG1 on this one.

I do think we need one more big man who can clog up the middle a bit more for us.

But I like the following match ups in a seven game series:

Pierce, Pietrus and Marquis vs LeBron
Ray, Pietrus, Marquis vs Wade

Rondo, Dooling and Bradley / Moore VS Miami's back court.

So I like our chances against Miami. Chicago is a tougher match up for us I think, but if we can get one more big man I'd feel better about that match up as well. We can beat any other team in the East in a seven game series.
 
   

[size11]

Have you guys seen old friend Kendrick Perkins get abused by Blake Griffin?

http://thebostonsportslist.com/2012/01/31/blake-griffin-dunks-on-kendrick-perkins/

[SHAQATTACK]

No ...but a few young players and a couple YOUNG "MEAN" healthy athletic  7 FOOT tall centers could do wonders for this team.