High Lottery or Playoffs?

[playdream]

Lottery...unless you are happy with the 8th seed e every year and getting swept in the playoffs... I would expect fans would get tired of that very quick

But I expect us to be in the lottery this year.. This is a long season and in the NBA talent wins out... And we lack it

actually our talent is not bad enough to win the lottery
i expect Stevens to use injury/experiment to draw out players

have to say i am very impressive with AB's improvement at
finish/jump shot when back to SG
if he can keep it up we will regret to not extend him

[TwinTower14]

I agree - The C's have a brutal stretch coming up too, I would be surprised if they win more than 1 of the next 6 games...

[cman88]

I also wouldn'tbe surprised to see ainge to trade off our good performing vets like Bass for whatever he can get.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Right now some people are still riding the high of the 4 game win streak and have wild fantasies of this team actually shocking the world and competing. 

Ask this question in a month when we've become more familiar with the superstars in this draft and the Celtics have started to settle in as either a subpar team or terrible team.  By then, I'm pretty sure most folks will rather see us bottom out and add a potential superstar.

Some are also riding the high after one loss without our best player and our best big man, and have wild fantasies of us being bad enough to actually land a top 4 or 5 draft pick.

[wdleehi]

This team is not good enough to make the playoffs. 



They have a young coach trying to prove himself and young players trying to prove themselves.  (which I like)


It has lead to a hot streak of four games.  (which I like)






But I have seen nothing that makes me believe that this team has the talent (overall, healthy or experienced) to be a team near 500 and making the playoffs. 




I expect the high streaks and am prepared for the low streaks.  I just believe the low will happen more then the high. 



And I believe some of the better play experienced players will end up on other teams by the end of the season.  Not tank trades, but trades that bring back possible small building blocks and the cap relief in the future.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I also wouldn'tbe surprised to see ainge to trade off our good performing vets like Bass for whatever he can get.

Why would this be of any surprise? We have a logjam at PF, he's on the worst contract of the bunch, and all our bigs are performing relatively well.

It'll mean more time for Sullinger too, who's a better player.

Also, Bass is not performing all that well...

[TwinTower14]

This team is not a playoff team, with or without Rondo.  DA is determined to land a high lottery pick.  The two biggest things for this year.  Brady Stevens gets his feet wet as a NBA Coach and developing the young guys.  I see the C's easing Rondo back into the line-up sometime in January and DA trading off guys like Bass, Lee etc as the season goes by.  This type of talent enters the draft about once every decade and the C's need to capitalize on it IMO>...

This team is not good enough to make the playoffs. 



They have a young coach trying to prove himself and young players trying to prove themselves.  (which I like)


It has lead to a hot streak of four games.  (which I like)






But I have seen nothing that makes me believe that this team has the talent (overall, healthy or experienced) to be a team near 500 and making the playoffs. 




I expect the high streaks and am prepared for the low streaks.  I just believe the low will happen more then the high. 



And I believe some of the better play experienced players will end up on other teams by the end of the season.  Not tank trades, but trades that bring back possible small building blocks and the cap relief in the future.

[Donoghus]

Of the two options listed, making the playoffs is probably more likely.

Real world sense, I don't think either will occur.  This team won't make the playoffs and I actually think it'll be really tough to finish with one of the worst four records in the league.  They'll most likely end up somewhere in the middle of the lottery.

[manl_lui]

This team is not a playoff team, with or without Rondo.  DA is determined to land a high lottery pick.  The two biggest things for this year.  Brady Stevens gets his feet wet as a NBA Coach and developing the young guys.  I see the C's easing Rondo back into the line-up sometime in January and DA trading off guys like Bass, Lee etc as the season goes by.  This type of talent enters the draft about once every decade and the C's need to capitalize on it IMO>...

This team is not good enough to make the playoffs. 



They have a young coach trying to prove himself and young players trying to prove themselves.  (which I like)


It has lead to a hot streak of four games.  (which I like)






But I have seen nothing that makes me believe that this team has the talent (overall, healthy or experienced) to be a team near 500 and making the playoffs. 




I expect the high streaks and am prepared for the low streaks.  I just believe the low will happen more then the high. 



And I believe some of the better play experienced players will end up on other teams by the end of the season.  Not tank trades, but trades that bring back possible small building blocks and the cap relief in the future.

I disagree with you there, with Rondo, this team is definitely a playoff team. Without Rondo, I won't be surprised that we manage to squeeze into the playoffs and become a first round exit by Indiana or Miami.

I prefer them to make playoffs. As a fan, it's fun to root for a team trying to win games even if the odds are not in our favor.

[TwinTower14]

It's so funny how the same fan base has two totally different views on the season?  I do enjoy watching the young guys play, that's why I hope Bass gets moved.  I want to see Sully and KO play together all year long. I am really hoping DA can get his hands on a Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Exum, Smart, Embiid, Selden, Young type of player.  You add one of those guys to this young core and with the draft picks and assets already on board and this rebuild will move a lot quicker...

[Vox_Populi]

Can I have both?

[BudweiserCeltic]

Can I have both?

Yes, cross your fingers for Atlanta and Brooklyn to suck... or are devastated by injuries.

[wdleehi]

This team is not a playoff team, with or without Rondo.  DA is determined to land a high lottery pick.  The two biggest things for this year.  Brady Stevens gets his feet wet as a NBA Coach and developing the young guys.  I see the C's easing Rondo back into the line-up sometime in January and DA trading off guys like Bass, Lee etc as the season goes by.  This type of talent enters the draft about once every decade and the C's need to capitalize on it IMO>...

This team is not good enough to make the playoffs. 



They have a young coach trying to prove himself and young players trying to prove themselves.  (which I like)


It has lead to a hot streak of four games.  (which I like)






But I have seen nothing that makes me believe that this team has the talent (overall, healthy or experienced) to be a team near 500 and making the playoffs. 




I expect the high streaks and am prepared for the low streaks.  I just believe the low will happen more then the high. 



And I believe some of the better play experienced players will end up on other teams by the end of the season.  Not tank trades, but trades that bring back possible small building blocks and the cap relief in the future.

I disagree with you there, with Rondo, this team is definitely a playoff team. Without Rondo, I won't be surprised that we manage to squeeze into the playoffs and become a first round exit by Indiana or Miami.

I prefer them to make playoffs. As a fan, it's fun to root for a team trying to win games even if the odds are not in our favor.

I don't think Rondo will be effective enough with the team as is.



Rondo is a top talent in the NBA.  His talent is making others look better.  Give him an top level offensive weapon to feed with complimentary weapons around, you have Rondo as a top 5 PG.


With out those weapons, you have a pass first PG that has to be come more of a scorer.  That takes away from what makes Rondo great. 

[Celtics18]

This team is not a playoff team, with or without Rondo.  DA is determined to land a high lottery pick.  The two biggest things for this year.  Brady Stevens gets his feet wet as a NBA Coach and developing the young guys.  I see the C's easing Rondo back into the line-up sometime in January and DA trading off guys like Bass, Lee etc as the season goes by.  This type of talent enters the draft about once every decade and the C's need to capitalize on it IMO>...

This team is not good enough to make the playoffs. 



They have a young coach trying to prove himself and young players trying to prove themselves.  (which I like)


It has lead to a hot streak of four games.  (which I like)






But I have seen nothing that makes me believe that this team has the talent (overall, healthy or experienced) to be a team near 500 and making the playoffs. 




I expect the high streaks and am prepared for the low streaks.  I just believe the low will happen more then the high. 



And I believe some of the better play experienced players will end up on other teams by the end of the season.  Not tank trades, but trades that bring back possible small building blocks and the cap relief in the future.

I disagree with you there, with Rondo, this team is definitely a playoff team. Without Rondo, I won't be surprised that we manage to squeeze into the playoffs and become a first round exit by Indiana or Miami.

I prefer them to make playoffs. As a fan, it's fun to root for a team trying to win games even if the odds are not in our favor.

I don't think Rondo will be effective enough with the team as is.



Rondo is a top talent in the NBA.  His talent is making others look better.  Give him an top level offensive weapon to feed with complimentary weapons around, you have Rondo as a top 5 PG.


With out those weapons, you have a pass first PG that has to be come more of a scorer.  That takes away from what makes Rondo great.

I strongly disagree with this.  I think Rondo will excel in the up-tempo style that coach Stevens is trying to implement, and I think the team will benefit greatly from having him back.  He'll be able to get easy looks for everybody on the roster despite the fact that none of them are top level offensive weapons. 

As much as I like what Jordan Crawford has been doing for the team, I think that offensively we'll look considerably better with Rondo out there running the show. 

[slamtheking]

neither option.  I think the C's end up out of the playoffs with a record somewhere between the 8th and 10th worst in the league. 

That may have to be adjusted upwards depending on 2 things:
1. how well they survive until Rondo returns
2. how well Rondo plays when he does return.