This team IS good....just not

[LarBrd33]

I like this team.   I like a lot of the players.  They have heart.  They are well coached and play hard.   Most of the guys on this team are legitimate NBA players.     But we're on a par with teams like the Magic, Raptors and Jazz... decent teams that will not threaten for a championship.   

WE already saw what happens when a team like ours meets a team with legit superstar talent... break out the brooms.    Nobody should legitimately believe this team has a shot at a title right now.  We're barely a playoff team at the moment.   If the playoffs started today, we we wouldn't make it.    Ball bounces the wrong way a few times and we'll be in the deep lotto.  There are four teams below us (Pistons, Knicks, Wizards and Bucks) who could reasonably finish above us depending on how the rest of their season and our season goes. 

But I have a faith in AInge... we're heading in the right direction.  He'll certainly do everything he can to try and get all-star talent here.

[CelticPride2016]

All it takes is one loss and these threads pop up like clock work. I don't understand why people who feel miserable watching the Celtics still watch and even post on message boards.

Maybe give up on basketball until Danny does fireworks or it takes a couple more years to naturally develop?

This team's current cycle has a much better chance of becoming great than the KG years. If KG didn't get injured, then fine, that could have been a four-peat. But it wasn't. It was one title to go with many years of gut wrenching, boring basketball.

I liked the second year with Big Baby emerging. Fine.

Getting to the Finals the 2nd time was nice, but that regular season was awful.

Almost beating Miami was pretty cool. That was it.

This team could become a great one with a ten year window. But if we are going to become miserable after each loss, maybe this isn't the right hobby for some of us.

[Celtics18]

I like this team.   I like a lot of the players.  They have heart.  They are well coached and play hard.   Most of the guys on this team are legitimate NBA players.     But we're on a par with teams like the Magic, Raptors and Jazz... decent teams that will not threaten for a championship.   

WE already saw what happens when a team like ours meets a team with legit superstar talent... break out the brooms.    Nobody should legitimately believe this team has a shot at a title right now.  We're barely a playoff team at the moment.   If the playoffs started today, we we wouldn't make it.    Ball bounces the wrong way a few times and we'll be in the deep lotto.  There are four teams below us (Pistons, Knicks, Wizards and Bucks) who could reasonably finish above us depending on how the rest of their season and our season goes. 

But I have a faith in AInge... we're heading in the right direction.  He'll certainly do everything he can to try and get all-star talent here.

We could miss the playoffs, sure.  Everybody knows this.  The possibility also exists that we could make the playoffs and advance past the first round (that's how close most of the East is right now).

Some of you seem hellbent (always) on trying to discourage those of us who enjoy rooting for the team to be as successful as they can.

It gets a bit tedious. 
 

[LarBrd33]

I like this team.   I like a lot of the players.  They have heart.  They are well coached and play hard.   Most of the guys on this team are legitimate NBA players.     But we're on a par with teams like the Magic, Raptors and Jazz... decent teams that will not threaten for a championship.   

WE already saw what happens when a team like ours meets a team with legit superstar talent... break out the brooms.    Nobody should legitimately believe this team has a shot at a title right now.  We're barely a playoff team at the moment.   If the playoffs started today, we we wouldn't make it.    Ball bounces the wrong way a few times and we'll be in the deep lotto.  There are four teams below us (Pistons, Knicks, Wizards and Bucks) who could reasonably finish above us depending on how the rest of their season and our season goes. 

But I have a faith in AInge... we're heading in the right direction.  He'll certainly do everything he can to try and get all-star talent here.

We could miss the playoffs, sure.  Everybody knows this.  The possibility also exists that we could make the playoffs and advance past the first round (that's how close most of the East is right now).

Some of you seem hellbent (always) on trying to discourage those of us who enjoy rooting for the team to be as successful as they can.

It gets a bit tedious.

I'm rooting for them to be successful too.   I could see the team making the playoffs and getting out of the 1st round depending on who they match up with.   But a contender this team is not. 

[Celtics18]

I like this team.   I like a lot of the players.  They have heart.  They are well coached and play hard.   Most of the guys on this team are legitimate NBA players.     But we're on a par with teams like the Magic, Raptors and Jazz... decent teams that will not threaten for a championship.   

WE already saw what happens when a team like ours meets a team with legit superstar talent... break out the brooms.    Nobody should legitimately believe this team has a shot at a title right now.  We're barely a playoff team at the moment.   If the playoffs started today, we we wouldn't make it.    Ball bounces the wrong way a few times and we'll be in the deep lotto.  There are four teams below us (Pistons, Knicks, Wizards and Bucks) who could reasonably finish above us depending on how the rest of their season and our season goes. 

But I have a faith in AInge... we're heading in the right direction.  He'll certainly do everything he can to try and get all-star talent here.

We could miss the playoffs, sure.  Everybody knows this.  The possibility also exists that we could make the playoffs and advance past the first round (that's how close most of the East is right now).

Some of you seem hellbent (always) on trying to discourage those of us who enjoy rooting for the team to be as successful as they can.

It gets a bit tedious.

I'm rooting for them to be successful too.   I could see the team making the playoffs and getting out of the 1st round depending on who they match up with.  But a contender this team is not.

Who are you telling?

Nobody (or at least, very, very few) really seems to think this team is a contender for a title.

 

[LarBrd33]

I like this team.   I like a lot of the players.  They have heart.  They are well coached and play hard.   Most of the guys on this team are legitimate NBA players.     But we're on a par with teams like the Magic, Raptors and Jazz... decent teams that will not threaten for a championship.   

WE already saw what happens when a team like ours meets a team with legit superstar talent... break out the brooms.    Nobody should legitimately believe this team has a shot at a title right now.  We're barely a playoff team at the moment.   If the playoffs started today, we we wouldn't make it.    Ball bounces the wrong way a few times and we'll be in the deep lotto.  There are four teams below us (Pistons, Knicks, Wizards and Bucks) who could reasonably finish above us depending on how the rest of their season and our season goes. 

But I have a faith in AInge... we're heading in the right direction.  He'll certainly do everything he can to try and get all-star talent here.

We could miss the playoffs, sure.  Everybody knows this.  The possibility also exists that we could make the playoffs and advance past the first round (that's how close most of the East is right now).

Some of you seem hellbent (always) on trying to discourage those of us who enjoy rooting for the team to be as successful as they can.

It gets a bit tedious.

I'm rooting for them to be successful too.   I could see the team making the playoffs and getting out of the 1st round depending on who they match up with.  But a contender this team is not.

Who are you telling?

Nobody (or at least, very, very few) really seems to think that.

A championship, this team will not win.

[Celtics18]

I like this team.   I like a lot of the players.  They have heart.  They are well coached and play hard.   Most of the guys on this team are legitimate NBA players.     But we're on a par with teams like the Magic, Raptors and Jazz... decent teams that will not threaten for a championship.   

WE already saw what happens when a team like ours meets a team with legit superstar talent... break out the brooms.    Nobody should legitimately believe this team has a shot at a title right now.  We're barely a playoff team at the moment.   If the playoffs started today, we we wouldn't make it.    Ball bounces the wrong way a few times and we'll be in the deep lotto.  There are four teams below us (Pistons, Knicks, Wizards and Bucks) who could reasonably finish above us depending on how the rest of their season and our season goes. 

But I have a faith in AInge... we're heading in the right direction.  He'll certainly do everything he can to try and get all-star talent here.

We could miss the playoffs, sure.  Everybody knows this.  The possibility also exists that we could make the playoffs and advance past the first round (that's how close most of the East is right now).

Some of you seem hellbent (always) on trying to discourage those of us who enjoy rooting for the team to be as successful as they can.

It gets a bit tedious.

I'm rooting for them to be successful too.   I could see the team making the playoffs and getting out of the 1st round depending on who they match up with.  But a contender this team is not.

Who are you telling?

Nobody (or at least, very, very few) really seems to think that.

A championship, this team will not win.

Thanks for that bit of enlightenment. 

[CelticPride2016]

Who are you telling?

Nobody (or at least, very, very few) really seems to think this team is a contender for a title.

Danny could make a move. Sully could lose twenty pounds and hippety hop towards borderline all-star status. Same as Isaiah and Avery. Maybe Smart.

No one probably thought those Butler teams were true contenders either. They came close. Villanova stunned the world a long time ago.

On other threads, there are people still discussing the Celtics in regards to tanking. They are missing a nice and intriguing season.

We could win games. We could get past the first round. Maybe we could even beat Cleveland a few times or upset them.

I wouldn't say we'd have a chance against Golden State without a fireworks trade.

I don't understand the negativity.

If it's not negativity, then yes, it is tedious, captain obvious material. We are definitely a better team than last year where we finished up 24-12.

We are close or are already a top ten team in the league.

Two years ago on this day, folks were probably discussing how Humphries should get some minutes or that Wallace doesn't seem to have anything left.

I'm sticking with 50-55 wins. We could run off ten wins in a row starting with any one game. We have destroyed whole teams, got coaches fired, had teams all discombobulated.

When Avery Bradley shoots, one expects them to go in. Isaiah is worth the price of admission for a lot of these games. Sully is making plays as if it is fate he will lose weight and become a top NBA player. Hunter looks like he has been in the league for ten years.

People should relax and be more positive. Or what's the point? I could see if things were going badly. Then gripe away. I'll be the first one. But not after any one game or in general.

They are overthinking it.

[BDeCosta26]

I like this team.   I like a lot of the players.  They have heart.  They are well coached and play hard.   Most of the guys on this team are legitimate NBA players.     But we're on a par with teams like the Magic, Raptors and Jazz... decent teams that will not threaten for a championship.   

WE already saw what happens when a team like ours meets a team with legit superstar talent... break out the brooms.    Nobody should legitimately believe this team has a shot at a title right now.  We're barely a playoff team at the moment.   If the playoffs started today, we we wouldn't make it.    Ball bounces the wrong way a few times and we'll be in the deep lotto.  There are four teams below us (Pistons, Knicks, Wizards and Bucks) who could reasonably finish above us depending on how the rest of their season and our season goes. 

But I have a faith in AInge... we're heading in the right direction.  He'll certainly do everything he can to try and get all-star talent here.

Who on earth thinks we have a shot at winning the title? Even the most optimistic of us doesn't believe that.

A lot of people don't understand what makes the best franchises in basketball so good for an extended period of time. All-Star talent plays a huge role, naturally, but there's SO much more to it than that.

Culture is one thing. The best teams in the NBA have an established culture of hard-work and dedication. The Spurs bring guys into their system and they succeed because there is a culture of hard work and defense in place that most guys buy into. If you don't, you probably won't at for the spurs very long. Same goes for the Warriors. We have that. Already. After two years of a rebuild. That's a HUGE part of the rebuilding process, and it's part of what's kept the Rockets and Clips from reaching the pinnacle. Having guys who fit into that culture and can enforce it (Smart, Crowder, Bradley for us, Green, Iggy, Steph for GS) are also a big factor. Coaching and a very important role that can't be overlooked. Kerr turned the Warriors from a playoff team to a contender. Pop is the driving force behind SA's success, just as Stevens will be for ours.

We have an excellent hand to play at all the tables used to acquire stars. We have a stable of draft picks including the lottery-bound Nets picks. We have a roster of guys under 27 who are good enough to win 45-50 games right now, and a bunch of young guys on that roster with the talent to take major leaps forward. We have trade assets out the Ying-yang available to make a trade for an impact player when one inevitably comes available. We have a ton of cap room, a talented young teams guys around the league have taken notice of, and one of the brightest young coaching minds there is who non-celtics around the league are on record of greatly admiring.

We need a star or two, sure. There's a few different ways to get one and we have the flexibility to pursue all of them. In the mean time, were putting everything else neccesary to building a sustained contender into place. We should be thanking our lucky stars to be in this position all of two full years into a rebuild. Advocating trading your best players to suck on purpose for a higher pick makes sense if you've got a team of overpaid mediocre 30 year olds that won't get past the 8th seed, but that's not us.

[flybono]

The Celts have a top 5 defensive team this year (by defensive efficiency).  That's really good, obviously.

If a contender is a team that has an elite defense and an elite offense (most teams that win the championship do), then the question is -- how can this team rise from slightly below average offensively (16th in team offensive efficiency) to top 10, or top 5?  How can they do it without hurting the defense?

Vs SH!t competition. Spurs scored at will, twice

[Jon]

Well, the nice thing about the current team is that it's very good defensively, quite young, and still has a lot of ways that it can improve:

1) We have a ton of picks, namely the Brooklyn picks.

2) We have a ton of cap space next year (granted, so does everyone else)

3) We have a lot of untapped potential in our younger guys.  There's at least a half dozen guys on the team that we can realistically expect to get even better over the next year or two. 

So, given we're not a contender right now, we're in about as good of a position as one can really hope.  And to top it all off, we have a [dang] good head coach who is building a very good culture of success here. 

[PhoSita]

Nobody (or at least, very, very few) really seems to think this team is a contender for a title.

I think this is true.

It's boring to go on and on about how the team is not a contender.  That's not a controversial idea.

But, at the same time, if we care about the team becoming a contender some day, and not just waving a shamrock flag for whatever team is out there on the floor no matter what, it is worth asking the question, and sincerely discussing, what this team is lacking, what it needs to add, in order to become a contender.

I agree, it's important not to let a focus on what the team lacks completely drown out any appreciate of what the team has.  A year ago, I would not have expected that right now the team would have a consistent 20+ point per game scorer who is genuinely fun to watch almost every night, or that they would be sitting with a top 5 defense more than a month into the season. 

The team has probably 5 or 6 guys who could be a significant part of the rotation on a contender, and they're already halfway to having the elite defense / elite offense combo you need to contend.  That's reason to feel good.

[Future Celtics Owner]

I think the odds are worse if we keep going in this direction(thankgod for the BKN picks) but we should honestly tank and have 2 top picks.....Ingram or Simmons

[Hemingway]

you realize we are over 500, despite a bad start and have blown out some good teams and just last night played a great spurs team, on the road, to within a few points down the wire all without one of our best players.

[ScoobyDoo]

I really like this team, but we really need at least one legitimate star. Stevens is probably a good enough coach to get it done with just one legit, go to star. That said, two would be preferable.

Moving forward I'd be surprised if David Lee were re-signed, so I think we look like this and we add to it from there:

Zeller / Amir Johnson / Olynyk
Sullinger / Olynyk / Mickey
Crowder / James Young / Jerebko
Smart / Thomas / Rozier
Bradley / Turner / Hunter

From here, I could see us:
A) Hopefully adding one legitimate chip with Brooklyn's pick
* Simmons, Labissiere, Ingram, Bender, Brown?

B) Then making a consolidation trade, something along the lines of:
* Zeller, Jerebko, Turner and a bunch of picks for for a young veteran piece.

I think that team really competes for titles.

I think looking back the two biggest mistakes that Ainge, the coaching staff, the management (whatever you want to call it, call it all three...) did were:

1. Playing guys like Bass, Hump, Bayless, Rondo and Green (they all should have been traded) rather than playing our young guys. This absolutely cost us a legitimate chance at drafting Parker or Wiggins.

2. Perhaps even more criminal in nature was playing guys like Bass, Prince, Thornton and Green just enough minutes to move us from the 8th to 11th pick to the ever coveted 16th pick in the 2015 draft. This likely causing us a shot at Stanley Johnson, Justice Winslow or Myles Turner.

In both 2014 and 2015 it seemed pretty clear that the above mentioned vets were clearly not in our long term plans. Why would ever play guys like Prince and Thornton, and even Bass, Green and Rondo when you know they will never be wearing a Celtics uniform again.

You don't need to showcase them - the league understands their talent level.

These were incredibly huge top down mistakes.

That said, we have Brooklyn's pick, a great young crop of young talent, what I think is a top five coach and a meaningful war chest of assets as we move ahead.

If you look around the league there are only 2-4 teams that don't have "a guy" - the Celtics are one of them. We need one...