Do we really have the firepower to win?

[kg is king]

The offseason has been excellent so far with many great acquisitions and our team looks wonderful and deep. Now that we have reloaded I can't help but to think about our chances of winning it all next season. Now there are a lot of factors that play in to who wins the championship. Injuries, injuries to other team's core players, scheduling, luck, etc. But from a pure speculation perspective I have one slight concern about our chances.

The NBA is a star heavy league and the team that comes out on top every year usually features great starpower. Look at Miami, the Lakers, us in 2008, heck even the Spurs won with arguably the best PF in the league at the time (KG or Duncan is really close, but that's another debate). Which leads me to this, do the C's have the starpower to hang with the super teams (Heat, Lakers if they land Howard)? We do not have a super star on our team anymore, PP is on the decline, KG is not his old self, Rondo is an all-star but not quite at the super star level. I guess the one exception is the Mavs, but those well balanced teams only win once every 10 years or so. What do you guys think?

[guava_wrench]

Puncher's chance

[GreenFaith1819]

I'd like to think so.

Can anyone name a better Celtics Team?

Beyond that 1st half of the season when we rolled over the NBA with Shaq in the middle, I can't think of another Celtics team in recent memory that ON PAPER looked as good.

[kg is king]

I'd like to think so.

Can anyone name a better Celtics Team?

Beyond that 1st half of the season when we rolled over the NBA with Shaq in the middle, I can't think of another Celtics team in recent memory that ON PAPER looked as good.

But in the playoffs, when you have to lean on your stars to win, who do the Celtics lean on? I don't want our team to become the Spurs last year. Steady and strong but when the moment arises there was no one they can lean on to get them past the KD, Westbrook, Harden, and the rest of the Thunder.

[BudweiserCeltic]

We have great team. I'd throw this team against anyone, and I think us a great match-up against the Heat currently. Now it's about executing, and crossing our fingers that Mr. KG holds up for the ride.

[Fafnir]

We have great team. I'd throw this team against anyone, and I think us a great match-up against the Heat currently. Now it's about executing, and crossing our fingers that Mr. KG holds up for the ride.

And Pierce!

[GreenFaith1819]

I'd like to think so.

Can anyone name a better Celtics Team?

Beyond that 1st half of the season when we rolled over the NBA with Shaq in the middle, I can't think of another Celtics team in recent memory that ON PAPER looked as good.

But in the playoffs, when you have to lean on your stars to win, who do the Celtics lean on? I don't want our team to become the Spurs last year. Steady and strong but when the moment arises there was no one they can lean on to get them past the KD, Westbrook, Harden, and the rest of the Thunder.

The interesting thing with OKC last year is that the way BOS was playing vs MIA and in the playoffs, I have a sneaking suspicion that IF BOS could've gotten past MIA, then they could've taken OKC..

I love Perk, but neither he nor Serge were going to slow KG down. Pietrus and Paul could've slowed down KD just a bit.

Westbrook vs Rondo? The way Rajon played in the playoffs? Rondo would've won that matchup, too.

Perhaps Harden could've made a difference off the bench vs BOS, but trust me after BOS went up 3-2 on MIA, I started thinking about Banner 18 right then...

[Bankshot]

We need rebounding.

[Ogaju]

I agee with the OP...but the reason you need stars is not for firepower it is because the refs tend to give the stars the calls in the pplayoofs, and when you are locked in a tough playoff series foul calls or lack thereof may be the difference in wins and losses.

[merkins]

Cant winning championships 'make stars/superstars'?

If the C's win 18, assumedly on the back of Rondo/Pierce/Garnett, doesnt that both cement the legend status of the 2 vets and in 5 years we look back and say the C's won in 2012/2013 with Rondo as a star?

That said,the only player I see with enough potential to step up and provide the help those 3 need may be Green or Terry in key situations.

[More Banners]

If we have someone that can get a bucket when we need one, at the line if necessary, either to end a scoring drought or late in the 4th of a close one, then we can win.  We have everything else, and some depth, too.

To me, it rests on whether PP's minutes are kept very low, his legs very fresh, and whether that itself is enough for him to be able to squeeze out just enough throwback performances for us to ride him all the way to the parade.

Otherwise, we have the '91 team: an exciting 2nd round out.

[Donoghus]

On paper, we have more firepower than last season so I'm inclined to say yes.

[D Dub]

If Jeff Green plays like we're paying to, yes.

[kg is king]

We need rebounding.

How did I forget about including this in the OP...

We added no one to improve our rebounding. It is safe to say the ceiling for KG's production this year is similar to that of last year's. Drafting Sully was a steal but unless he's getting meaninful minutes, I don't see a difference maker who will help us improve on our dysmal rebounding rate last year. Less rebounds mean more O rebounds for the other team, more chances for them to score, and less chances for us to run and score.

[RJ87]

I'd like to think so.

Can anyone name a better Celtics Team?

Beyond that 1st half of the season when we rolled over the NBA with Shaq in the middle, I can't think of another Celtics team in recent memory that ON PAPER looked as good.

But in the playoffs, when you have to lean on your stars to win, who do the Celtics lean on? I don't want our team to become the Spurs last year. Steady and strong but when the moment arises there was no one they can lean on to get them past the KD, Westbrook, Harden, and the rest of the Thunder.

Rajon Rondo... Yeah, yeah - I know he has all those faults, but in the playoffs, he's takes his game to another level. I feel like the 11/12 showed that he can step up when the team needs him the most (closing out game 7 against Philly, game 2 against Miami).

Also, a healthy Paul Pierce is no sloutch... And Jason Terry one of the top 4th quarter performers in the league.

Guess I'm crazy. But I ain't scared.