Are this year's Celtics a mirage?

[MikeB12]

Ok, the Celtics again as a team shoot under 40% - 37% won't cut it in a playoff game.  Hoping the C's get a win in game 6 but do you really think that if they win game 6 they can win game 7 in Atlanta?

I know that almost everyone on this board will say - of course the Celtics can win game 7 but how many would make a substantial bet on it ?

The Celtics are hard to watch when they shoot poorly like they did in game 5.  Shooting about 26% on 3 point shots.

I'm glad the Celtics have won at least 2 games which is an improvement over last year's sweep.  But looking ahead, unless the team can somehow come up with better offensive players I can't see them ever advancing deep into the playoffs.

Hope the draft brings a franchise offensive player.  Personally I don't see the Celtics getting a franchise player to come to Boston in a trade given the current makeup of the team.

Blast away die hard C's fans...

MikeB

[Roy H.]

I doubt anyone disagrees. We lack shooting and offense in general. AB, KO, and Crowder are all huge parts of our team who are out or struggling. Even with them, we're about average offensively. To be elite, we need to improve talent.

But, it's not like we're stagnant. We have a ton of picks, a bunch of cap space, and well-respected management. We're in great shape.

[PhoSita]

They were a top 5 defensive team and a top 10 defensive team at one point this year.  I guess you could say that it looks like that level of excellence was a little bit of a mirage.

But I think overall the team has been consistent through regular season and playoffs in terms of how they succeed or fail.

They're a team that plays fast, takes mostly the right kinds of shots, forces a lot of turnovers, and plays excellent team defense.

They're also horrible at making shots, weak on the boards, foul a lot, and don't consistently get to the line.


Bottom line, a flawed team that makes the very most of its strengths.  But ultimately, winning playoff series is about hitting shots, making free throws, and cleaning the glass. 

The Celts need some significant roster changes to be more competitive in those areas.  There are a lot of reasons to think Ainge will be able to make at least some changes toward that end this summer.

Here's hoping.

[Rondo9]

Is it everytime they lose people are going to call their success a "mirage"?

[Hemingway]

As you alluded to, this team is a step better than last year. Sure taking 10 steps at a ttime (like getting KG and Ray in one summer) would be great. But we are young. We can afford small steps. a small step forward is not a step backward and it is not being on a treadmill.

But to take that next step we need scoring. IT just doesn't get it done every night to make up for everyone else. That's why we need to be open to some of the flawed players that can help us. The Melos the Howards. The next step doesn't have to be the ultimate answer. We can still win a championship within 5 years without making all the moves this summer. What we can't do is take a step backwards or stand still. Sully and Zeller need to go, we need more scoring power and we need an old vet to help us out. Next season we need to go into win now mode-without sacrificing the future- even if we know we really can't win it. I think Ainge agrees and I expect us to be in trade talks for every allstar out there that could possibly be on the block.

[alldaboston]

Is it everytime they lose people are going to call their success a "mirage"?

This. Can't be stated enough. This season wasn't a fluke. It's not a mirage. We aren't gonna be in the lottery next year. Stop with that.

We have just maxed out what we could hope to achieve with this injured roster. Granted, if we were healthy we could still lose this series. But people acting like there's no other way to get out of this "purgatory" that y'all are implying we are in.

Danny knows best. He will find a way. People didn't think we were gonna be a playoff team last year. But we were. People didn't think we were gonna be in the playoffs this year. Here we are. People don't think this team is gonna go anywhere. We will. Danny and Brad will help us get there.

Can the negativity stuff stop? Like, please. One loss and the entire place goes bonkers. Then we win and the entire place is calm again.

[saltlover]

In addition to some of the points being made here -- you realize that the Hawks has the league's best FG% defense, right?  Better than the Clippers or Spurs or Warriors.  Yes, the Celtics are not great offensively, but it's not like Atlanta hasn't done this to teams all season long.  It's a major reason they have been successful this year.

[GreenWarrior]

"Are this year's Celtics a mirage?"

depends on what you'd think they'd be before the season started.

I personally said this team could be the number 2 team in the east or out of the playoffs. it depended more on what the other teams in the east did. which is what happened. also said they'd get bounced in the 1st...we're close.

[SHAQATTACK]

We have the BEST young coach in the NBA , an excellent GM and Owners .

Best Home crowd

Come close to 50 wins after a total breakup.


Assets to move forward .


Looks about as good as you can expect given all the injuries .

Stevens was Robbed being in 6  Th place in coach of the year.

He took players like ET , Sully, JJ,  IT ......and made a good season with least talent of any playoff team.



My major disappointment is in James Young.

[GreenFaith1819]

Nope, and it's only going to get better.

[Celtics4ever]

I think we made some progress, we won some playoff games and we can clearly assess that some of our talent needs upgraded and have a boat load of picks to take or trade for better assets, and some cap space!

[Neurotic Guy]

Mirage = Something illusory, without substance or reality.

Hard for me to conceive of this year's Celtics as a mirage.  They are EXACTLY what we think they are: a hard-working, young team without the requisite talent to be considered a championship contending team.  They finished the season as the 6th seed and are playing the 3-seed in a competetive series in which both teams have held home court throughout. 

Most of us held hopes of over-achieving this post-season based on the team's depth, work ethic, and a smart coach.  But were any of us looking at this series as a can't-lose situation?  I doubt it.  I think most of us thought it would at least be competitive and the C's have achieved that.  They have kept the series close without their 2nd best shooter on a team that really lacks shooting talent. 

Not a mirage at all -- this team is seen for what it is --  the good and the not so good are in plain sight -- stark reality.    Can't wait to see how this team progresses next year.

[fairweatherfan]

Is it everytime they lose people are going to call their success a "mirage"?

As the team gets better the fretting and doomsdaying will get louder and more frequent, because the anxiety levels of the type of fan who responds to anxiety with defensive pessimism will keep going up.   Bank on it.


And to the OP - we're not a mirage, we always looked like a team that COULD win a series and maaaaybe get lucky and grab two with the right draw.  That's still what we look like - we're competitive but by no means good enough to breeze through any playoff series.  The injuries aren't doing us any favors but this is more or less the same caliber team we've seen throughout the season.

[2short]

This years Celtics (and probably next) are serious building blocks toward championship contention.  If this year we went into playoffs with a fully healthy team AND hit outside shots well enough we could be east finals team.
Mirage, definitely not.  This team is making strides, we haven't really got a top notch player on team (maybe Isaiah) we are only going up from here and Stevens is instilling Celtics pride.  No playing for lottery draft picks here.  Team and Ainge have forged on with a good solid hard working team.