Shaq and Kenny pick Celtics in 6, Barkley picks Heat in 5.

[indeedproceed]

Disagree a lot, BC.

I guess career highs from Ray from an efficiency standpoint means nothing, and Pierce was a monster last year.

If Pierce and Allen were both as good last season, please explain why we were so frequently terrible, and only got one win in Miami.

I know the efficiently numbers, but that could have as much to do with smarter shot selection, without speaking to an overall decline.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Disagree a lot, BC.

I guess career highs from Ray from an efficiency standpoint means nothing, and Pierce was a monster last year.

If Pierce and Allen were both as good last season, please explain why we were so frequently terrible, and only got one win in Miami.

I know the efficiently numbers, but that could have as much to do with smarter shot selection, without speaking to an overall decline.

Smarter shot selections is part of the game. But these guys were shooting practically 50% from the field, that's a great accomplishment. That 2011 team, when Shaq was healthy, was really the best I've seen them all play as a group. Too bad KG wasn't all there yet and then Shaq went down.

Both Pierce and Ray played quite well through the playoffs. We lost against Miami because A), Wade kinda almost broke Rondo's arm and B) there was no Shaq, who we needed.

Don't forget, we also had Perk through the year, and was only traded because of injury concerns. But I'm not factoring him in all of this.

Also, we had no one in the bench to help defend the wing like we needed in that series, particularly with Daniels going down.

Miami was just a very bad match-up for us with what we could field during the playoffs once injuries were taken into consideration.

[17wasEZ]

Funny, but Shaq has the unique perspective of playing with Wade, LeBron, and the Celtics.  He seems to have love for Doc and the Big 4.  He probably went with his heart.  I hope he is right!

[scaryjerry]

hmmm why are people picking us, I wanted to be the clearcut underdog....we should not be picked by anyone, ugh

[dwlefty13]

hmmm why are people picking us, I wanted to be the clearcut underdog....we should not be picked by anyone, ugh

Well Shaq did predict we will make the finals back on Christmas day so I think he's simply following through his pick. I don't know why Kenny picked the C's through. Maybe it's the advantage Rondo has and how KG can exploit opportunities to score down low. I didn't see this part of their broadcast so I am not sure 100%.

[Celtics4ever]

If Pierce and Allen were both as good last season, please explain why we were so frequently terrible, and only got one win in Miami.

Rondo got hurt.  That killed us in the playoffs.

They killed us last year but will the same hunger to beat us be there this year?   They have hardly had it when we played this year.

[RebusRankin]

Shaq is Dr Shaq.

[greenpride32]

Best starting 5 in the past decade? I'd put the 08 clerics against that team every night of the week.

10-11: Celtics - Shaq is much better than Perk; it's not even debatable.
Rondo of 10-11 was miles ahead of Rondo of 07-08; again not even close.

[ram]

Shaq and Kenny are nuts.
I'm an optimist but the Celts have no bench and that will be their downfall.

The zone D is the only hope for slowing down Lebron and Wade. But the zone will suffer due to Ray's bad ankle.

Pietrus is the only sub with over 142 minutes in the 13 playoff games and he is shooting just 34%
Hollins has 142 minutes and Dooling <120 as Doc searches for anyone to provide something off the bench. In this way, this reminds me of 1987 when the banged up starters carried the Celts all the way to a 6 game loss in the finals despite injuries and no bench. Darren Daye and Greg Kite were the bench that year and neither was worth much.

Anthony and Turiaf > Hollins and Steimsma.

The only hope for the Celts is to play a zone with 2 platoon basketball-sub Pietrus and Hollins on D for Ray and Bass on every possession (which, of course, inpossible).

[BballTim]

Disagree a lot, BC.

I guess career highs from Ray from an efficiency standpoint means nothing, and Pierce was a monster last year.

If Pierce and Allen were both as good last season, please explain why we were so frequently terrible, and only got one win in Miami.

  Rondo was battling injuries for much of the season. People forget that even in early March we were probably the favorites to win the conference last year.

[Onslaught]

I'm an optimist but the Celts have no bench and that will be their downfall.

Miami has even less of a bench.

[guava_wrench]

Shaq and Kenny are nuts.
I'm an optimist but the Celts have no bench and that will be their downfall.

The zone D is the only hope for slowing down Lebron and Wade. But the zone will suffer due to Ray's bad ankle.

Pietrus is the only sub with over 142 minutes in the 13 playoff games and he is shooting just 34%
Hollins has 142 minutes and Dooling <120 as Doc searches for anyone to provide something off the bench. In this way, this reminds me of 1987 when the banged up starters carried the Celts all the way to a 6 game loss in the finals despite injuries and no bench. Darren Daye and Greg Kite were the bench that year and neither was worth much.

Anthony and Turiaf > Hollins and Steimsma.

The Heat barely have a starting lineup.

Anthony in the game hurts the Heat in a way that no one hurts on our bench hurts the Celtics. When Anthony is in, KG can ignore him and clog the lane, making it much harder for Lebron or Wade to score.

Ray's ability to play defense on his ankles will be big, but our defense combined with the lack of Heat talent (without Bosh) can still keep us in any game. Wade too is also prone to health issues that can slow him down.

I would be really surprised though if we win game 1 with our lack of rest and prep time.

[BballTim]

I would be really surprised though if we win game 1 with our lack of rest and prep time.

  We generally come out very flat when we get a lot of rest.

[BASS_THUMPER]

I'm an optimist but the Celts have no bench and that will be their downfall.

Miami has even less of a bench.

they have a big bench
Hollins is going to have to show what he is really made of

[snowball]

Link or Vid to Shaq/Kenny