(Debate) Who wins 07/08 Celtics or 16/17 Warriors?

[slightly biased bias fan]

I think this is a fantastic discussion, who wins in a seven game series?

[knuckleballer]

My first impulse is the Warriors, but our advantage at 4 and5, Garnett and Perk, plays well to their weaknesses.  It would be a fun series to watch.

[Big333223]

With that match-up, you'd probably see a lot of KG at the 5, more Posey. That '08 Celtic team was deep and tough. If there's one thing the Warriors lack, it's toughness. I go Celtics.

[jambr380]

We were a defensive powerhouse that year with a much deeper bench than GSW has now. I agree with knuckle that our bigs had a huge advantage over theirs and our back court should be able to at least hold off Steph/Klay a bit. The Pierce/Durant and KG/Green matchups would sure be something to see.

I go Cs...well, because they actually won the championship already while GSW is still just good on paper.

[Roy H.]

Vegas would pick the Warriors, but I think the Celtics are the type of physical defense that would limit the Warriors.

I think that it comes down to whether Pierce can score 23+. If he can carry the load, the Celts have a good shot.

[GreenFaith1819]

Gut says BOS, but Green-tinted glasses aside it'd be a tough series.

I think we'd win - especially if we went with our "small" lineup of

C - KG
PF- Posey
SF- Pierce
SG - Ray or TA
PG-Rondo (or Eddie House for offensive punch)

Sprinkle some Perk in there to ruffle Pachulia's feathers (Neither he nor KG got along with Pach AT all, it seemed). Between those two we'd get a technical free-throw out of Zaza (or the Refs would tee "US" up, lol)

The lineup I just mentioned would cover them defensively...to a considerable degree....BUT we'd struggle to score some so I'd be hesitant to use this lineup often without Ray Allen in there.

Ray wasn't a great defender but in 08 I'd give him a decent rating - and with his potent offense I'd struggle to keep him off the floor.

To be fair I don't think that Tony Allen "fully blossomed" defensively until he got to MEM, though...even though he was still a decent defender in 08.

Tip the intangibles towards us - with KG barking out defensive assignments and Pierce being Mr. Do-Everything I'd love to see such a series.

[Roy H.]

We were a defensive powerhouse that year with a much deeper bench than GSW has now. I agree with knuckle that our bigs had a huge advantage over theirs and our back court should be able to at least hold off Steph/Klay a bit. The Pierce/Durant and KG/Green matchups would sure be something to see.

I go Cs...well, because they actually won the championship already while GSW is still just good on paper.

I think you're analyzing a matchup against the '17 Warriors. I interpreted the question as being about last year's Warriors, with Bogut/Barnes.

[Celtics17]

I will also go with the 08 Celtics due to our defense. KG, Posey, TA and even Pierce were tough on D! That team was special though and even the Warriors have the shooting from deep we win inside and control the tempo and boards.

My questions though is how do the 86 Celtics do against this season's Warriors?

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

Warriors, and I'm not sure it is close. That Celtics team needed 7 games to dispatch a 37 win Hawks team, 7 games to beat a significantly worse LeBron lead Cavs team, and went 3-9 on the road in playoffs in a series where if you go by regular season record they don't have home court...

Take off the green shades.

[RockinRyA]

Warriors, and I'm not sure it is close. That Celtics team needed 7 games to dispatch a 37 win Hawks team, 7 games to beat a significantly worse LeBron lead Cavs team, and went 3-9 on the road in playoffs in a series where if you go by regular season record they don't have home court...

Take off the green shades.

those 37 win Hawks team are not the Warriors. The Cavs team are not the Warriors. Neither of the 29 teams they beat that year are not the Warriors. The Cavs that lost to the Warriors in the regular season and had worse records beat them in the finals. In a playoff series its all about matchups, those arguments you have weighs very little.

[RockinRyA]

Gut says BOS, but Green-tinted glasses aside it'd be a tough series.

I think we'd win - especially if we went with our "small" lineup of

C - KG
PF- Posey
SF- Pierce
SG - Ray or TA
PG-Rondo (or Eddie House for offensive punch)

Sprinkle some Perk in there to ruffle Pachulia's feathers (Neither he nor KG got along with Pach AT all, it seemed). Between those two we'd get a technical free-throw out of Zaza (or the Refs would tee "US" up, lol)

The lineup I just mentioned would cover them defensively...to a considerable degree....BUT we'd struggle to score some so I'd be hesitant to use this lineup often without Ray Allen in there.

Ray wasn't a great defender but in 08 I'd give him a decent rating - and with his potent offense I'd struggle to keep him off the floor.

To be fair I don't think that Tony Allen "fully blossomed" defensively until he got to MEM, though...even though he was still a decent defender in 08.

Tip the intangibles towards us - with KG barking out defensive assignments and Pierce being Mr. Do-Everything I'd love to see such a series.

Ray did decent against Kobe. I think he'll be fine against Klay. Steph will be the problem, although 08 Rondo actually defends well. The GS bench scares me though. Livingston+Barbosa is a handful for House/Cassell. Unless Doc plays TA which he didnt do much that year.

It will come down to how Doc will manage the minutes in that series, if he refuse to play the bench, we will be too tired to keep up with the Warriors.

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

Warriors, and I'm not sure it is close. That Celtics team needed 7 games to dispatch a 37 win Hawks team, 7 games to beat a significantly worse LeBron lead Cavs team, and went 3-9 on the road in playoffs in a series where if you go by regular season record they don't have home court...

Take off the green shades.

those 37 win Hawks team are not the Warriors. The Cavs team are not the Warriors. Neither of the 29 teams they beat that year are not the Warriors. The Cavs that lost to the Warriors in the regular season and had worse records beat them in the finals. In a playoff series its all about matchups, those arguments you have weighs very little.

Yes, all of the teams you played that year are worse than both the Thunder and the Cavs from last year.

This isn't even close. GSW wins both the talent battle and the match up battle. Heck, they'd have won the finals if it wasn't for Draymond being a lunatic.

[celtics2030]

I think Celtics win


If it was prime Ray , Pierce, and Garnett, i have no doubt in my mind they beat them

[Banner18now!]

Good debate question. Give me the Celtics because they were the superior defensive team. They could score as well but with defense as their trade mark I think they would have enough to make it a grind it out game that GS wouldn't be able to win over 7 games.

[NHCelticsFan]

Hard to say because of how the game has changed recently.  If the Celtics had prime KG right now he would probably be shooting threes on a regular basis.  Didn't happen as much during those years.

I want to say that the Celtics would win, as they were a great defensive team and had plenty of offensive firepower.