The more I watch the Heat-OKC finals I have concluded

[Yogi]

The Celtics are a unique team.  Our defense keeps the games close 90% of the time.  Our offense tends to be a hit of miss.  It really doesn't matter who we play.  OKC, Miami, San Antonio, Philly.  We're a grind team and we have a shot against any one in the league.  We ran out of gas though.  Bradley, Green, Bass, Pietrus and Wilcox were supposed to be our young guys.  Losing 3 outright and one playing while needing surgery meant our vets had to do too much.  Not that they were all that healthy themselves. 

[Celtics18]

I couldn't agree more with the Leprechaun.  I am unimpressed by this Thunder team so far, and I think we would have had a very good chance of beating them.  

Their one on one players are very good, but ultimately, a good defensive team can slow down a team that relies so heavily on an offense that consists almost exclusively of two or three guys creating offense for themselves.  

I agree that the Heat look like they are finding a good groove, but they were definitely starting to find that groove against us.  The claim that James was coasting against us is absolutely despicable.  He played as hard in that series as he is in the finals.  We couldn't stop him.  No one can, but the difference is that we actually did a better job of not letting him get into the lane  than the Thunder are doing.  

I think it's pretty fair to say that when this season ends, the Celtics can lay claim to being the second best team in the NBA for the 2011-2012 campaign.  And, there wasn't that much separating us and the number one team.  

Bring it back!!

[wahz]

If we have Jeff Green and Bradley we win. Even without them, without the game 2 ref fiasco, we win. We are and were, once again, close, much much closer than the media gives us credit for. Its because we largely play ugly. We don't score easily, but we defend the paint like a pack of werewolves for large parts of the game. We have spent years now not being deep enough and healthy enough and in my opinion its caused the key guys to pace themselves at least a bit and we all see some of that too. It doesn't make us look prettier.

Yes we can take the core of KG, Rondo, Bradley and PP and make yet another run. Year 6 of the 3 years plan coming up. But personally I hope we can look at the new roster and have it look deep and solid instead of...not very.

[kp4000]

we could have beaten these guys.All the hogwash about them running any team from the east out the building was just that...HOGWASH.  We had the heat beat, outplayed them in 4 straight games but could not close out late or hold leads. But we played the Heat waaaaaaay better than the Thunder are so far. The Thunder are done it appears in 5 games. This Boston team is much better than they get credit for folks. tweak, tweak and more tweak and we can make a run for two more years. Get healthy. get a good bench. get another good big. Keep PP and KG fresh for playoffs. Let the young guns develop and show what they can do on the court this year.Depends what DA wants to do.

LET'S GO CELTICS!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with most of your statements. The Miami Heat, like most teams has flaws. You know it, I know it, everybody else does except for some in the media i.e; (ESPN). From top to bottom the Heat's roster is flawed excluding James, Wade and Bosh. We could have beaten them and should have, but didn't. The Celtics outplayed Miami, in games 2, 3,4,5 and 7, but couldn't close the deal, because of their lack of urgency, energy and killer instinct.

I don't think people can use Green, Pierce, Allen, Wilcox, JO or Bradley's injuries as an excuse, because the C's lead 3-2. So with or without these injuries the Celtics had an huge chance to win game 6 in Boston. The reason why the C's out-played the Heat compare to OKC; has a lot to do with personnel and coaching. Oddly, the Thunder are deeper than both Miami and Boston, but the Thunder are inexperienced, young and careless at times.

Boston and Miami are better defensively than OKC. Much better defensively. In general I think the Heat will win tomorrow unless OKC can pull out a big win.

 

 

 

[All Star Matt Clement]

Didn't see the Thunder Spurs series.  how did this Thunder team beat the Spurs? Weren't the Spurs viewed as the pinnacle of defense?

[Assassin70]

The more I watch the more I see we would have lost.

We don't get calls.

Thunder even though there have been questionable calls have always been right there @ the end.

Only way I would share the same thought of C's winning in this coulda/shoulda/woulda scenario is if we went back in a time machine and won game 6.  If we won against Heat in game 7. I don't see C's beating the Thunder.

[BballTim]

Didn't see the Thunder Spurs series.  how did this Thunder team beat the Spurs? Weren't the Spurs viewed as the pinnacle of defense?

  They changed their m.o. this year. 1st in offense, 11th in defense.

[tenn_smoothie]

Appears now that if we had stayed reasonably healthy and not lost our 6th & 7th man to heart surgery - we could very easily be looking straight down the sights at # 18.

............ and just think if we had been able to sign David West and if Danny had not traded away Perk (and please don't show your ignorance by harping on his stats).

and just think if we hadn't lost Reggie and Lenny - again due to their hearts going out.

this is a creepy trend.

[OmarSekou]

I agree with the OP. We had a legitimate title shot this year. I don't like how we match up with OKC but there are a lot of teams I wouldn't want to face on paper.

If we keep the same core, add some pieces, stay healthy, and get some breaks we'll be right back in title contention. Is that likely? Probably not, but I think the chances are better than if we blow things up. The league is wide open.

The biggest attribute our team has is the ability to adjust and deal with adversity. That's because we have experienced HOFers. We were injury plagued throughout the season and post-season, but we found a way to win. And honestly, a few more "50-50" calls go our way and we'd have been in the finals.

[soap07]

It's worth noting that Miami didn't have Bosh against us for more than half the series. Bosh has quietly been a force on the defensive end for the Heat, which has helped LeBron and co. immensely.

  And we didn't have Bradley at all. Throw in him and Bosh and even with PP's knee issues and it's no worse than a draw for the Celts.

Are you under the impression that a perennial All-Star big man who has averaged 20/10 in the past has a similar impact on the court as Avery Bradley, who is at best, a role player?

Bosh is just kind of extra big guy in their, albeit a good one.

I mean, really? Kind of an extra big guy?

[LarBrd33]

Seems that way in retrospect, but I always felt like LeBron was coasting a bit until he needed to win.  I think you play that Heat/Celtic series 10 times, they probably win it 9.  And I think it's absolutely fair to point out the Heat with Bosh is a superior team to the Heat without Bosh (as evidence by the fact we couldn't beat them once Bosh started getting minutes).  Real shocker there... a 7 foot big man allstar makes a difference on a team lacking depth?  Really?  Wow.  SHOCKING!  


Thrilled for LeBron and the Heat right now.  I can't root for an OKC victory until Seattle gets a team.  Those THunder fans need to suffer a bit.  It's LeBron's time.  He's due.  Hope he closes it out the next game and reaches his destiny finally.  It's been a long time coming.

The Celtics are also a superior team with Avery Bradley

I don't really buy that.   Everyone else on this forum is far more hyped up on Bradley than I am.  Yeah I get that everyone is convinced he's an otherworldy defender, because he was putting aggressive pressure on players in the regular season.  I still say he's very undersized... and Wade was pretty subpar in the series regardless (mostly due to his injury, I'm guessing).  Not like Bradley was going to guard King James.

I think Bosh being healthy for the Heat is far more important than Bradley being healthy for the Celtics.  I'm not going to convince myself that the Celtics blew a championship.  We overachieved mightily to even make it that far.  We beat a Horford-less Hawks team, nearly lost to the 8th seed fringe playoff team 76ers... and struggled against LeBron and an injured Wade for 5 games until they added Bosh and closed us out.  If the Heat/Celtics play that series again 10 times ... the Heat probably win 9.  I think the Heat were in danger of losing that series about as much as they were in danger of losing the Pacers series.  When stuff got "real", King James took it up another level.

[ScoobyDoo]

Also agree with the OP, I've been watching this championship series thinking about game 6 in Boston that we gave away.

Match ups are also playing a role in the OKC / Miami series. I see three main problems for OKC -

1. Nobody who can "really" check James - neither Durant or Harden are strong or savvy enough and while Sefalosha is crafty he isn't nearly as strong as Pierce.

2. Pretty much ditto for their defensive match ups on Wade.

3. Westbrook is no Rondo. What I mean here is this: while Westbrook is a hard nosed player and a great scorer he is no point guard - Harden is the closest thing they have to a point guard. They are sorely missing Eric Maynor in this series.

For me, this series highlights Rondo's significance as a leader of a championship squad. His "point" ability, his premier "play making" ability to constantly break down defenses and get guys easy shots is so underrated.

I argue that in this particular series if you switch out Westbrook for Rondo, OKC is up 3-1 rather than Miami. Rondo can single handed break down Miami and would be getting guys like Harden, Durant and Ibaka bunnies all night. I truly believe the series wouldn't be close. Right now the Thunder have no one to create so they're just jacking jumpers all night.

Anyway, makes you really appreciate our Celtic squad this year - from their defense ( Pierce, Rondo & KG mostly but everyone else as well) to their savvy and their heart.

1. Get a "legit" center (Kaman, Hawes, etc.)
2. Get a hard nosed vet rebounder
3. Get Bradley, Green and Wilcox back healthy.
4. Couple good draft picks.
5. KG, Pierce and hopefully Ray back...

I have no doubt that - god forbid we could stay 90% healthy all season, for example, maybe just lose ONE major rotation player rather than three - that we could absolutely smoke Miami or any other team next season.

No question in my mind.        

[MMacOH]

The team from the East to worry about next year is Chicago, not Miami.  Chicago plays defense on the level of Boston with the offensive talent to score a ton of points. 

Isn't it time for Boston to cut bait and start rebuliding around Rondo?

[st.jimmy222]

I hate the heat, i really really Really, hate the heat. More than kobe, more than the flakers,  more than stern, more than crawford, more than Cancer! i hate the heat! 
   
         "Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell’s heart I stab at thee; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee." ~ Moby Dick
                                 
        p.s. i really hate the heat

[BballTim]

It's worth noting that Miami didn't have Bosh against us for more than half the series. Bosh has quietly been a force on the defensive end for the Heat, which has helped LeBron and co. immensely.

  And we didn't have Bradley at all. Throw in him and Bosh and even with PP's knee issues and it's no worse than a draw for the Celts.

Are you under the impression that a perennial All-Star big man who has averaged 20/10 in the past has a similar impact on the court as Avery Bradley, who is at best, a role player?

  In this case, yes. Bradley's defense would have made a big difference in the series, and having someone who could run the break with Rondo would have gotten us a decent amount of easy hoops. You can't just look at how good players are compared to each other and determine how much impact they'll have on a game based on that. People who think like that are still trying to figure out why the Heat didn't win 70+ games and the title last year.