Order has been restored in the universe

[Ilikesports17]

The next two games are cupcakes against Minnesota and Brooklyn.

Sounds like an easy split. 

It looks like we are toying with Minnesota. I think we will win both. We're a completely different team with Horford and Crowder back. I didn't know Horford was so good at blocking shots and scoring. I don't understand why 2008 KG would be considered that much better than him if at all. Horford can pass and dribble. He looks stronger than KG.

His Hawks won a lot of games some years. Why not us?

KG was better. substantially so.

[hodgy03038]

The next two games are cupcakes against Minnesota and Brooklyn.

Sounds like an easy split. 

It looks like we are toying with Minnesota. I think we will win both. We're a completely different team with Horford and Crowder back. I didn't know Horford was so good at blocking shots and scoring. I don't understand why 2008 KG would be considered that much better than him if at all. Horford can pass and dribble. He looks stronger than KG.

His Hawks won a lot of games some years. Why not us?

Toying with Minnesota? Are we watching the same game? What do you have in your cupcakes?

[ManUp]

Comparing 2008 KG to Al Horford are you serious?

I'm assuming you didn't watch much of KG in his prime so let me explain.

The next two games are cupcakes against Minnesota and Brooklyn.

Sounds like an easy split. 

It looks like we are toying with Minnesota. I think we will win both. We're a completely different team with Horford and Crowder back. I didn't know Horford was so good at blocking shots and scoring. I don't understand why 2008 KG would be considered that much better than him if at all. Horford can pass and dribble. He looks stronger than KG.

His Hawks won a lot of games some years. Why not us?

KG was better. substantially so.

Your basically saying Horford is comparable to Anthony Davis with a refined offense.

That was negative TP worthy.

Al Horford at his best can barely stack up to prime KG on an off day.

This thread is bad ju ju.

[crimson_stallion]

The next two games are cupcakes against Minnesota and Brooklyn.

Sounds like an easy split. 

It looks like we are toying with Minnesota. I think we will win both. We're a completely different team with Horford and Crowder back. I didn't know Horford was so good at blocking shots and scoring. I don't understand why 2008 KG would be considered that much better than him if at all. Horford can pass and dribble. He looks stronger than KG.

His Hawks won a lot of games some years. Why not us?

KG was at least a full level above Horford as a scorer, at least 2 levels above him as a defender, about 4 levels above him as a rebounder and at least two levels above him physically as an athlete, while also being at least on par (if not better) as a passer.

KG in his prime was a 24 point, 14 rebound, 6 assist, 2 block guy , and that was only a season or two before he came to Boston in 2008. 

If you compare Horford to the 2012 (36 year old) version of KG, then that's a more reasonable comparison.  KG was still better, but the comparison is at least justifiable.

[hodgy03038]

I would like to order a dozen of those cupcakes! 

[CelticPride2016]

I don't tend to interact with people who don't read my posts. Someone above is talking up KG in his prime and I actually said specifically 2008, that it meant Al might fill in for the KG Big Three slot, and that no way is Horford comparable to KG in his prime.

2008 KG was great, but that wasn't KG in his prime.

Horford is 30? KG was 32 in 2008. I don't remember KG dribbling and passing like Horford. I don't remember this many blocks by KG, but maybe. I definitely don't recall KG drilling threes, though he had that automatic 18 footer.

2008 KG was great. 2016 Horford might also be great.

I'm the guy who predicted 65 wins under optimal conditions.

From espn:

3mChris Forsberg

Al Horford continues to do all the little things to help Boston win games
The Celtics improved to 4-1 when Al Horford plays, as the free-agent acquisition had 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks vs. Minnesota.

I multiply 82 games by 80%, the percentage we are winning with Horford, and the answer is 65.6 wins.

Under optimal conditions, we are a 65 win type team. We are unproven and the consensus is growing we need another top big, but tonight's win is the kind top teams take from losers like Minnesota. They were awful. The only way Minnesota was going to win that game is if it was a trap and the Celtics never snapped out of it.

But we did, so I continue to be proven correct on a lot of things.

[mr. dee]

2008 KG is still in his prime. Finished 3rd on the MVP race and won DPOY that year. No way Horford is anywhere near MVP or DPOY award, unless his stats throughout this season tell you otherwise.

[LarBrd33]

KG was a legitimate superstar.  He was a top 5 player when we acquired him.  He basically carried us to a title with help from his all-star sidekicks Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. 

Horford is a more like a top 20 player.  Very good.  Our best player.  Not a superstar.

[walker834]

Horford has been doing it all since he has been back.  His rebounds are up as well. If Horford can provide the celtics with toughness and rebounding plus he is giving us the complete game with a lot of blocks and assists and scoring with good efficiency. 

Jae and Horford are the muscle on this team.Horford is a huge man and very smart apparently because he's brough his A game.  Hopefully Crowder can get healthy.

[CelticPride2016]

Horford has been doing it all since he has been back.  His rebounds are up as well. If Horford can provide the celtics with toughness and rebounding plus he is giving us the complete game with a lot of blocks and assists and scoring with good efficiency. 

Jae and Horford are the muscle on this team.Horford is a huge man and very smart apparently because he's brough his A game.  Hopefully Crowder can get healthy.

Some of these guys are banged up or rusty. Isaiah has some nasty problem with a hand. Horford might fall back to earth like Olynyk did. Kelly was good and gave our team an infusion. He has tailed off, but now is not the time to give up on Olynyk.

Amir doesn't seem to be himself. I just looked. He only turned 29 in May. Amir Johnson should technically be in his prime. Others will argue that it's all about the mileage on the tires. He must have issues.

I agree we could use Crowder shaking off some rust. He is our Kawhi Leonard. Isaiah is our Tiny Archibald. Horford is sneaky great for center. So it comes down to Amir and Olynyk getting their acts together. It'd be nice if Marcus Smart could have a monster game for stats. I know stats don't matter that much in a lot of ways, but only mere days ago, his were respectable. He needs to shoot an efficient 9-11 and make his free throws.

Marcus also needs to be careful with flopping. Everyone knows he does it. The rule is there better be contact and nothing too over the top.

I do appreciate a good flop in that these refs aren't the greatest. It's as if one is forced to do mini-flops to get a call. In some of these games, the refs have been so incompetent. The guy who pushed Isaiah should have gotten a technical.

[green_bballers13]

KG was a legitimate superstar.  He was a top 5 player when we acquired him.  He basically carried us to a title with help from his all-star sidekicks Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. 

Horford is a more like a top 20 player.  Very good.  Our best player.  Not a superstar.

Completely agree. I think people are a little too optimistic about our current roster. I see a couple tiers:

Excellent: None
Good: Al Horford, Isaiah Thomas
Pretty good: Bradley, Crowder, Bradley
Decent: Smart, Amir Johnson, Jerebko, Rozier, Brown

I don't really care too much about the other guys like Zeller, Olynyk, Young, Mickey

We do have some potential with Brown, Rozier, and Smart, but none are at the level of Wiggins or Towns (at least yet).

I think this team can get a top 4 seed in the East and win a playoff series. I think that would be a win for such a young team.

Just think- you could be watching a perennial loser during this rebuild!

[CapnDunks]

I think part of over-valuing Horford (and possibly under valuing IT) is the bias that comes with not having a certain type of player for a long time. We wanted a "rim protector" for such a long time that we get overexcited to have one.

That being said, I'm thrilled with him. I agree he's probably top 20, which is great.

As for 2008 KG vs any Horford. It's not very close. We don't have to hypothesize, they played against each other. I remember 2012 KG outmatched Horford substantially. Not a knock on Horford. It's just worth recognizing that KG was one of the best handful to play the 4 EVER.

[CelticPride2016]

Best case scenario Horford has better stats than 2008 KG in three point shooting, blocks and assists. Horford is a stat machine. It's as if some people are rooting for our team to suck so they can whine on message boards.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

KG was a legitimate superstar.  He was a top 5 player when we acquired him.  He basically carried us to a title with help from his all-star sidekicks Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. 

Horford is a more like a top 20 player.  Very good.  Our best player.  Not a superstar.

Completely agree. I think people are a little too optimistic about our current roster. I see a couple tiers:

Excellent: None
Good: Al Horford, Isaiah Thomas
Pretty good: Bradley, Crowder, Bradley
Decent: Smart, Amir Johnson, Jerebko, Rozier, Brown

I don't really care too much about the other guys like Zeller, Olynyk, Young, Mickey

We do have some potential with Brown, Rozier, and Smart, but none are at the level of Wiggins or Towns (at least yet).

I think this team can get a top 4 seed in the East and win a playoff series. I think that would be a win for such a young team.

Just think- you could be watching a perennial loser during this rebuild!

Funny you should write this. Only two minutes earlier, I was wondering: How many current Celtics will be part of the next Boston title team?

I know that there are many factors that will go into determining that: Will Danny trade for an established star? If so, which current Cs will be shipped away in that deal? Which current Cs simply won't pan out? Which ones will be pretty good but get squeezed out by free agents and/or trade acquisitions?

Will any of them make it to the next title team? Interesting to think about.

[tankcity!]

should get back on track as a 55 win team.  Need to get a top 3 seed or we will not get out of the 2nd round.

What? I thought you were better than this. They're not winning 55 games.