Celtics will be better than anticipated this year

[Fred Roberts]

Looks like a lot of low expectations around here. I'm expecting better and think several of you will be pleasantly surprised. . . .but by all means it's smart to keep expectations low and not be disappointed.

I am abnormally excited to watch this team this season.

On a side note, I don't think Indy is going to be very good at all w/out George and Stephenson. I think they may be terrible. I also think Miami is due for a significant downturn. Can Wade carry a full load? Can Bosh return to major contributor status? Is Deng healthy and a major piece? I think this team could have more struggles than people realize. It'll be interested to see.

[D.o.s.]

I see all the teams you listed fighting for the 8th spot being better then us. By "better" I'm not saying good teams. Just better then we are right now. It is what it is guys. Our team stinks. But that's how things work.

Pretty much this. We have a team that isn't very talented, and unless you've got the sort of home court advantage enjoyed by the Nuggets, talent tends to bear out in the NBA.

[Onslaught]

I think we stink but I'm still looking forward to this year. I liked watching them last season too. Because I felt that they gave it their best but just didn't have the talent.

As long as I see effort and small improvement then I'm happy at this point. Now if we still stink 5 seasons from now it will be a different story.

[GreenWarrior]

i'd feel much better about watching this team next season if bass, green, and Wallace weren't on this team. I just know what we're getting from those guys and that's mediocrity.

with that said, I do not expect this team to make the playoffs, would not be surprised if we did though. I do think if we did it'd be more about the East sucking than us actually being all that good. but if some of our young players play better than expected. who knows?

[D.o.s.]

i'd feel much better about watching this team next season if bass, green, and Wallace weren't on this team. I just know what we're getting from those guys and that's mediocrity.

with that said, I do not expect this team to make the playoffs, would not be surprised if we did though. I do think if we did it'd be more about the East sucking than us actually being all that good. but if some of our young players play better than expected. who knows?

The Shadow. The Shadow Knows.

[GreenWarrior]

i'd feel much better about watching this team next season if bass, green, and Wallace weren't on this team. I just know what we're getting from those guys and that's mediocrity.

with that said, I do not expect this team to make the playoffs, would not be surprised if we did though. I do think if we did it'd be more about the East sucking than us actually being all that good. but if some of our young players play better than expected. who knows?

The Shadow. The Shadow Knows.

if only we could sign him. can he play SG? we don't have enough of those.

[D.o.s.]

i'd feel much better about watching this team next season if bass, green, and Wallace weren't on this team. I just know what we're getting from those guys and that's mediocrity.

with that said, I do not expect this team to make the playoffs, would not be surprised if we did though. I do think if we did it'd be more about the East sucking than us actually being all that good. but if some of our young players play better than expected. who knows?

The Shadow. The Shadow Knows.

if only we could sign him. can he play SG? we don't have enough of those.

His range is a little suspect, but we've already got enough deep threats, right?

[Celts Fan 508]

Barring a trade or injury I don't see the Celtics finishing ahead of 
1.)  Miami  2.)  Cleveland  3.)  Washington  4.)  Toronto  5.)  Chicago  6.)  Charlotte  7.)  Brooklyn  I also think that Atlanta, the Knicks, and Indiana are still ahead of us.  With Milwaukee and Detroit possibly being a more improved team this upcoming season.   So I completely agree that this team is not making the playoffs.

If you are not going to make the playoffs, go the extra effort and tank that much better, I don't want this team to have to try to rely on Cleveland luck, they need to nail down an earliest pick as possible.  In terms of enjoyability, it will be hard to do again, but I will enjoy watching the young players improve over the season knowing that better times are ahead. 

[TitleMaster]

Didn't you guys see *Miracle on Ice*, the '80 Lake Placid US hockey team was considerably less talented than the Soviets or Finland but they beat 'em both, back-to-back. And that was due to coach Brooks and his emphasis on conditioning and constant defense. They never quit. And that's what our team needs to do and then, we can have a 'Miracle on Green' 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp-j6GJJgJ8[/youtube]

[bleedGREENdon]

Barring a trade or injury I don't see the Celtics finishing ahead of 
1.)  Miami  2.)  Cleveland  3.)  Washington  4.)  Toronto  5.)  Chicago  6.)  Charlotte  7.)  Brooklyn  I also think that Atlanta, the Knicks, and Indiana are still ahead of us.  With Milwaukee and Detroit possibly being a more improved team this upcoming season.   So I completely agree that this team is not making the playoffs.

If you are not going to make the playoffs, go the extra effort and tank that much better, I don't want this team to have to try to rely on Cleveland luck, they need to nail down an earliest pick as possible.  In terms of enjoyability, it will be hard to do again, but I will enjoy watching the young players improve over the season knowing that better times are ahead.

How you have Miami #1 and Toronto 4 is beyond me.

How anyone has such confidence in Charlotte to be a top 5 team in the east is beyond me.
How anyone even has Toronto as a top 5 team in to he east is beyond me.

I've been seeing a lot of people giving too much credit to Charlotte, Toronto, Atlanta honestly even Washington an Miami.

There are only two teams I see who are legit in the east and that is Chicago and Cleeland, CLE only because Lebron James.

you guys are forgetting Cleveland was just a terrible team since lebron left. The Cavs are going to be worse then this years heat team just off of, they need to get chemistry and learn each other. Kyrie is a stud but his defense is lacking. Until Kevin love comes then there is many issues with the cavs.

After that I still see Cleveland as a Top 2 team in the east.

The Bulls are a complete team this year and I see them winning the east.

Now aside from that every other team has major wholes. The east is wide open. You guys really underestimate rondo and Jeff green. Every team in the east would love rondo on their team. He isn't traded because Danny don't just give him up.

We will make the playoffs.

[loco_91]

i'd feel much better about watching this team next season if bass, green, and Wallace weren't on this team. I just know what we're getting from those guys and that's mediocrity.

with that said, I do not expect this team to make the playoffs, would not be surprised if we did though. I do think if we did it'd be more about the East sucking than us actually being all that good. but if some of our young players play better than expected. who knows?

We have far worse problems than Bass and Green, don't lump them with Wallace lol. All the hate for Green especially just kills me, he's a non-superstar who occasionally plays like one. What's wrong with that?

[fitzhickey]

Barring a trade or injury I don't see the Celtics finishing ahead of 
1.)  Miami  2.)  Cleveland  3.)  Washington  4.)  Toronto  5.)  Chicago  6.)  Charlotte  7.)  Brooklyn  I also think that Atlanta, the Knicks, and Indiana are still ahead of us.  With Milwaukee and Detroit possibly being a more improved team this upcoming season.   So I completely agree that this team is not making the playoffs.

If you are not going to make the playoffs, go the extra effort and tank that much better, I don't want this team to have to try to rely on Cleveland luck, they need to nail down an earliest pick as possible.  In terms of enjoyability, it will be hard to do again, but I will enjoy watching the young players improve over the season knowing that better times are ahead.

How you have Miami #1 and Toronto 4 is beyond me.

How anyone has such confidence in Charlotte to be a top 5 team in the east is beyond me.
How anyone even has Toronto as a top 5 team in to he east is beyond me.

I've been seeing a lot of people giving too much credit to Charlotte, Toronto, Atlanta honestly even Washington an Miami.

There are only two teams I see who are legit in the east and that is Chicago and Cleeland, CLE only because Lebron James.

you guys are forgetting Cleveland was just a terrible team since lebron left. The Cavs are going to be worse then this years heat team just off of, they need to get chemistry and learn each other. Kyrie is a stud but his defense is lacking. Until Kevin love comes then there is many issues with the cavs.

After that I still see Cleveland as a Top 2 team in the east.

The Bulls are a complete team this year and I see them winning the east.

Now aside from that every other team has major wholes. The east is wide open. You guys really underestimate rondo and Jeff green. Every team in the east would love rondo on their team. He isn't traded because Danny don't just give him up.

We will make the playoffs.

Charlotte has one of the best centers in the league, an improving PG and one of the best SG's in the league.
Toronto has one of the  best young wings in the league and a very solid point guard.
Atlanta has Teague and a hopefully healthy Horford, as well as Paul Millsap.
Washington has the best PG in the East, a good young SG and a very talented front court.
Miami still has Wade and Bosh, plus Pat Riley, who is one of the best minds in the NBA.

I don't see Boston coming close to any of these teams.

[DesertDweller]

41-41  .500 season and improving every year and then all you downers can find your own board to cry on!!!!

[bleedGREENdon]

Barring a trade or injury I don't see the Celtics finishing ahead of 
1.)  Miami  2.)  Cleveland  3.)  Washington  4.)  Toronto  5.)  Chicago  6.)  Charlotte  7.)  Brooklyn  I also think that Atlanta, the Knicks, and Indiana are still ahead of us.  With Milwaukee and Detroit possibly being a more improved team this upcoming season.   So I completely agree that this team is not making the playoffs.

If you are not going to make the playoffs, go the extra effort and tank that much better, I don't want this team to have to try to rely on Cleveland luck, they need to nail down an earliest pick as possible.  In terms of enjoyability, it will be hard to do again, but I will enjoy watching the young players improve over the season knowing that better times are ahead.

How you have Miami #1 and Toronto 4 is beyond me.

How anyone has such confidence in Charlotte to be a top 5 team in the east is beyond me.
How anyone even has Toronto as a top 5 team in to he east is beyond me.

I've been seeing a lot of people giving too much credit to Charlotte, Toronto, Atlanta honestly even Washington an Miami.

There are only two teams I see who are legit in the east and that is Chicago and Cleeland, CLE only because Lebron James.

you guys are forgetting Cleveland was just a terrible team since lebron left. The Cavs are going to be worse then this years heat team just off of, they need to get chemistry and learn each other. Kyrie is a stud but his defense is lacking. Until Kevin love comes then there is many issues with the cavs.

After that I still see Cleveland as a Top 2 team in the east.

The Bulls are a complete team this year and I see them winning the east.

Now aside from that every other team has major wholes. The east is wide open. You guys really underestimate rondo and Jeff green. Every team in the east would love rondo on their team. He isn't traded because Danny don't just give him up.

We will make the playoffs.

Charlotte has one of the best centers in the league, an improving PG and one of the best SG's in the league.
Toronto has one of the  best young wings in the league and a very solid point guard.
Atlanta has Teague and a hopefully healthy Horford, as well as Paul Millsap.
Washington has the best PG in the East, a good young SG and a very talented front court.
Miami still has Wade and Bosh, plus Pat Riley, who is one of the best minds in the NBA.

I don't see Boston coming close to any of these teams.

John wall is not the best PG in the east, hence he got cut from team USA.

Pay Riley plays 0 minutes for the heat and Danny Ainge is just as or better than pay Riley at GM, just Riley is in Miami.

Atlanta lol, Teague IS a role player, Horford is coming off injury and is undersized center, he is solid, but once again is undersized and Millsap? Millsap isn't winning any games for you. Sully can go toe to toe with millsap with no problems.

Charlotte... Kemba is no where near Rondo, Lance Stephenson is a cancer, and Al Jefferson is a great scorer. Great scorer. I see very little defense on their team and they are not a sure write in. They are a good team in the east, but they are not a sure write in.

Toronto, I'm not even speaking on this team anymore. This team is terrible. I repeat terrible. They had a breakout year last year. BREAKOUT and they lost in the 1st round to Brooklyn, with no Brook Lopez. They will not make the playoffs this year.

Out of those 5 teams , I could see Charlotte , Miami , and Washington making the playoffs, throw on Chi and Cle as write ins. And that leaves 3 more spots open between Toronto Brooklyn, boston, Atlanta, Indiana and the Knicks, all being on competition to make the playoffs. You write off Toronto and Broooklyn because I just see deron continuing to have injuries and no defensive presence what so ever. Toronto will not be good next year. Indiana will not be able to score and might actually blow it up or just tank this year. That leaves Celtics Atlanta and Knicks. Making the playoffs.

[Beat LA]

Didn't you guys see *Miracle on Ice*, the '80 Lake Placid US hockey team was considerably less talented than the Soviets or Finland but they beat 'em both, back-to-back. And that was due to coach Brooks and his emphasis on conditioning and constant defense. They never quit. And that's what our team needs to do and then, we can have a 'Miracle on Green' 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp-j6GJJgJ8[/youtube]

I swear, in every sports movie, that's what coaches harp on the most - conditioning, because apparently, whether it's Hoosiers or Miracle, the opponents of the protagonist have never even given conditioning a thought, lol.  Then, everyone, especially coaches, sees these films and says, "as long as we're the best conditioned team, we'll win by running everyone into the ground, so players with skills be [dang]ed - I want the athletes.  We can always try to teach that stuff to these kids, anyway."  Personally, I think that the game has suffered at every level from that approach, because instead of increasing the fitness of the best players, coaches go with the best athletes, who might never have played basketball before.  I'm not saying that the guys with skills are incredibly out of shape, but, and maybe this is just me, I'd much rather have skilled players; and when they get tired, guess what - that's what a bench is for.  I know, what a radical concept (sarcasm). 

Now, having said all of that, Miracle is an outstanding film, and the score is simply incredible by Mark Isham.