Celtics may not be the team we thought they were at season's start

[vjcsmoke]

looks like it is taking time for them to gel.  I'm not worried.  once they get going, they will go on a run, as all good teams do.

I expect a +5 win improvement. 

Avery Bradley is a much improved player this season and Jaylen Brown is showing nice flashes of talent.  Horford is obviously an improvement over what we've had before.  Our only real big weakness this year so far is rebounding.  We might have to make a trade to remedy that issue.

[Rosco917]

We would have plugged the hole if it were just Crowder getting hurt, but Horford and Crowder is too much.
Not many teams in the NBA can have their starting center, and starting SF taken from the lineup and still not miss a beat.

The Celtics were a team already concerned about rebounding, with Horford.

Don't look for Al Horford to come back as strong as ever from his concussion either. You could see him play with less physicality for a few games. 

[Moranis]

This is the team I thought Boston was going to be.  No real depth up front, no even good rebounders, no real scoring wing or big man, etc.  Obviously injuries have affected some of that, but Boston looks like the team I would have expected (accounting for the injuries of course).

Rebounding and wing scoring were expected to be issues.

Did you expect them to be a revolving door on defense?

accounting for injuries yes.  I mean Smart, Horford, and Crowder have all missed significant games.  Those are 3 of the 4 best defenders on the team.  When everyone is healthy, I expect the defense to be much better. 

[spikelovetheCelts]

This is the team I thought Boston was going to be.  No real depth up front, no even good rebounders, no real scoring wing or big man, etc.  Obviously injuries have affected some of that, but Boston looks like the team I would have expected (accounting for the injuries of course).

Rebounding and wing scoring were expected to be issues.

Did you expect them to be a revolving door on defense?

accounting for injuries yes.  I mean Smart, Horford, and Crowder have all missed significant games.  Those are 3 of the 4 best defenders on the team.  When everyone is healthy, I expect the defense to be much better.

As stated we have not been at full strength. We should win tonight. Friday will be a good gauge there is a chance We will have our full team. The Blessing in this we have seen what Brown, Young and Jackson have and everybody has played with everybody too. Brad knows what he has. DA will make a trade for an enforcer rebounder too.

[Vermont Green]

I think the Celtics will be the team that is somewhere between what we saw in the regular season (overachieved) and what we was in the playoffs (underachieved).  Right now they are impacted by injuries to key players (Horford, Crowder) and before that Smart and Olynyk but they are also playing below their ability.

I think they will figure it out and be much better but it is  going to take a while.

[flybono]

Keep drinking the Kool-Aid boys, keep listening to the spittle that is spewed by Ainge.

[mctyson]

I am still going to give them the benefit of the doubt in the long haul.

But man...they have played some AWFUL basketball to start this season.

[mmmmm]

This is the team I thought Boston was going to be.  No real depth up front, no even good rebounders, no real scoring wing or big man, etc.  Obviously injuries have affected some of that, but Boston looks like the team I would have expected (accounting for the injuries of course).

Rebounding and wing scoring were expected to be issues.

Did you expect them to be a revolving door on defense?

Well, over the last 4 games (including tonight against Dallas) they actually _haven't_ been a revolving door on defense.   Over that span they have been downright stingy on D.

[RJ87]

No, they are who I thought they were. A top 4 team in the east with some fatal flaws - rebounding, interior defense after Horford - that will limit them to a 2nd round exit.

[MikeB12]

Well, the Celtics did pull out a win last night but it took 22 pts by Thomas in the 4th to beat a terrible Dallas team.   6-5 is certainly better than 5-6 but if I were at the game at halftime I would have demanded my $ back...39-31 ridiculous.

MikeB

[alldaboston]

Well, the Celtics did pull out a win last night but it took 22 pts by Thomas in the 4th to beat a terrible Dallas team.   6-5 is certainly better than 5-6 but if I were at the game at halftime I would have demanded my $ back...39-31 ridiculous.

MikeB

ok

[mqtcelticsfan]

I'm highly entertained at how gloomy the board is about our team following 11 games, half of which featured a lineup without Horford or Crowder.

[mef730]

We'll obviously get better once those two return, but the strength of our opposition hasn't exactly been off the charts. We lost to the Wizards (2-8), Nuggets (4-7) and New Orleans (2-10). On the plus side, a couple of those losses might help us with our draft pick.

Hey, I got it! We're tanking the games against the teams that might challenge Brooklyn. No wonder we don't know who injured Horford - it was part of Danny's evil scheme! And an "ankle injury" to Crowder? Yeah, right. He's been wearing socks the whole time. How could anyone tell?

Mike