The roster is what it is, right?

"NBA teams have until March 20th to reach buyouts with players and still have enough time to clear waivers before the March 23rd playoff eligibility deadline..."

So that means we're pretty much stuck with what we got, right?

Beyond the big 4 (3 of which are a step slower) and Brandon Bass (a Leon Powe doppleganger) what do we even have on this roster?

JO And Wilcox both stunk regardless, but they are both out for the season.

Pietrus just got carried out on a stretcher... can't count on him.

Dooling is a bum.
Bradley is a bum.
Stinksma is a bum.
Daniels is a bum.
Johnson is a bum.

This 27 year old Ryan Hollins guy is an uberbum.

Is this really what we are going to war with in the playoffs?  That's it?  You gotta be kidding me.

Does anyone actually believe this team has the capacity to make a run this year?  If so, speak up... I want to understand your reasoning.

Is there a guy on that entire bench that has a tangible ability?  What I mean to say is...

Perk was (and is) a lockdown defensive big man who used his large body to help others get rebounds.  Right now he's starting for the best team in the West.
  
Tony Allen was (and is) a lockdown defender and capable energy guy.  You realize he's averaging 11 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2 steals with 49%, 38% from three, 80% from the line while STARTING for a 6th seed Memphis team?

James Posey WAS a lockdown defender and a tough SOB... he shot 38% for us from three (averaged 1.4 threes per game) helping to spread the floor for our offense.  Although he only averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds, his intangibles didn't show up on the stat sheet. He was crucial to our championship run.

Eddie House was a one-dimensional player, but at least the guy had a dimension. He was a HUGE energy guy who could come in and hit threes.  When he was hot, look out.  Scary wildcard that hit a ton of huge game-changing and momentum-swinging shots for us.  The guy shot 40% from three and averaged 1.5 threes per night during our title year.  The year after that he averaged 2 threes and shot 44%.  He served his purpose.  The definition of a "role player".

I already mentioned that Powe was a doppleganger to Brandon Bass... so I'll give you that.  Except that Powe averaged 8 points, 4 rebounds and 57% shooting per 14 minutes while Bass averages 12 points, 6 rebounds 48% shooting in 30 minutes.  In other words, 2008 Powe was better than 2012 Brandon Bass.  Powe/Bass is the kinda guy who belongs on your bench giving you 14 minutes a night... can come in, give you energy, throw down some dunks and hit some shots.  Bass is starting on our team by default.  You give 2008 Powe the same minutes and he'll outperform 2012 Bass.  It shouldnt' surprise you to learn that in 2008 during the 5 games that Powe started, he averaged 14 points, 7 rebounds, 60% shooting in 26 minutes.  And yet this was a guy who was nothing more than a role player.

Sam Cassell was a crafty veteran point guard who brought championship experience and a steady confident hand to this team.  Prior to getting traded to Boston (where he was a role playing bench guy) he spent the beginning of the season as starting point guard for the Clippers... averaging 13 points and 5 assists on 46% shooting.  Less than a month before playing his first game in Boston he won a game for the Clippers with 21 points, 8 assists, 3 steals on 7-13 shooting.  If you look at his game log from that season you'll see games where he dropped 35 points, 28 points, 26 points, 21 points, 32 points, 22 points and 25 points.  The guy wasn't entirely washed up.  I'll be quick to admit that Sam struggled on Boston, but the skillset was undeniable.  In other words, Sam Cassell's numbers (immediately before joining the Celtics) were slightly better than the numbers Devin Harris is putting up this season for the Jazz.  Think about it...  

PJ Brown was another one of those intangible guys whose abilities didn't show up on a stat sheet.  He was one of those calm-headed, crafty, intelligent 7 foot veterans who could come in for a few minutes, play tough intelligent defense, maybe hit a huge shot or pull down some boards.  That's the kind of guy you want deep in your bench... not some 27 year old d-leaguer who can't make another roster in the league.

You know, COMBINED those guys (along with a some bums like Scalabrine, Davis, Pruitt and Pollard) were enough for this Celtic team to win a title.  Each player played their part.  4 guys do not win a title... a team does.  Also can't undervalue our defensive guru who is now the head-coach of the best team in the league (40-10 Bulls).  That 2008 Celtic team didn't come out of nowhere... it won 66 games (80% win percentage) and THROUGHOUT the entire season had the best defense in the league.  They allowed 90.3 points (2nd best in the league) with a +10.3 point differential (1st).  Compare that with the Bulls this year.  80% win percentage.  Allowing 88.7 points (2nd best in the league) with a +8.9 point differential (1st).  How bout that?

I have one last point I need to make.  In 2008, the "Big 3" were 4 years younger.  Pierce was arguably still in his prime.  KG and Ray were just past their prime.  We UNDENIABLY had a better team surrounding them.  A true starting center and a fairly deep and capable bench.  DESPITE all of this, we came 5 points away from losing to LeBron James BY HIMSELF.  Think about that... the Cavs pushed us to 7 games... we won game 7 by a mere 5 points thanks to an improbably brilliant 41 point performance by Paul Pierce.  FIVE points, folk.  At our absolute pinnacle, we beat LeBron by 5 points when his best teammates were Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Delonte West.  Think about that, please.  You're telling me that in 2012 we stand a chance at an upset against a (undeniably better) LeBron and his supporting cast in Miami?

SO... is this it?  This is really our team heading into the playoffs?  This is who we are sending into war during our last hurrah before the big 5+ year lotto rebuild??  Wow... someone give me a reason to be optimistic.  

Stinksma is a bum.