How long will it take?

[bagwell368]

This team was built to make the playoffs, and in a 5 or 7 game series anything can happen... Remember last season...???

Yeah a weak Philly team took us to 7. And a Miami team that got Bosh back and James playing at 100%, with some small help from the refs took it away.

We remain a tweek to KG's health away from being toast.

There will be no trades excepting maybe a very minor one, unless there is a huge rash of injuries and soon.

Nice polite bowing out in Round #2.

[xk4]

A weak Hawks team also took the 2008 championship team to 7 games. But our team kind of sucked last year also, I don't see why you always bring that Philly series up

[Opalmerr]

Guard rotation.

When Doc panics he turns to Terry.

When the other team gets on a little roll, why not turn to Bradley and Lee? Play them together!

Instead of countering the other teams run with offense and weak defense, why not try to get stops... you know, like he's always preaching about during time outs?

[Forever35]

Yeah a weak Philly team took us to 7. And a Miami team that got Bosh back and James playing at 100%, with some small help from the refs took it away.

True, but a dunk is no better than a lay-up and winning in 4 is no better than winning in 7... SA swept their way to OKC than OKC grabbed that broom right from em'... It's evident even as dominant as the C's were in 07'/08' they struggled practically every series and they couldn't buy a road win, but in the end all that matters is the banner hoisted up in the rafters...

[Opalmerr]

True, but a dunk is no better than a lay-up and winning in 4 is no better than winning in 7... SA swept their way to OKC than OKC grabbed that broom right from em'... It's evident even as dominant as the C's were in 07'/08' they struggled practically every series and they couldn't buy a road win, but in the end all that matters is the banner hoisted up in the rafters...

You're on a roll. Good posting.

[Bird Fan]

You're on a roll. Good posting.

Really? " Your on a role "......face in palm. We are making deflections to confirm ones point. Look not to affirmation but sensible logic and fact.

I agree with Bagwell368, this team (right now/ roster) is an Eastern Conference Semi's Team, period. To think otherwise is just foolish and highly questionable.

Fact, the Boston Celtics are 20-18.

Fact, the Celtics just got beat again by one of the worst teams in the NBA (NO).

Fact, the Celtics front line is very old and thin.


Opalmerr, Forever35, 69 Centers- I love your stuff, I love your posts. You guy's post some great information, but this Celtics Team is, " dead in water " without help. I love them, im pulling for them, I watch every game, but im being realistic...

[thebrianscal]

Really? " Your on a role "......face in palm. We are making deflections to confirm ones point. Look not to affirmation but sensible logic and fact.

I agree with Bagwell368, this team (right now/ roster) is an Eastern Conference Semi's Team, period. To think otherwise is just foolish and highly questionable.

Fact, the Boston Celtics are 20-18.

Fact, the Celtics just got beat again by one of the worst teams in the NBA (NO).

Fact, the Celtics front line is very old and thin.


Opalmerr, Forever35, 69 Centers- I love your stuff, I love your posts. You guy's post some great information, but this Celtics Team is, " dead in water " without help. I love them, im pulling for them, I watch every game, but im being realistic...

it would be unrealistic to think that if we do make the playoffs that we dont have a shot. Every team in the playoffs has a shot, thats corny as hell but so true. Who in the eastern conference are we scared of? Other than the Heat, I like our odds against any other team. We have more skill than last year, and plenty of guys who have been there and done that before(KG PP RONDO TERRY.....). Im not saying were favorites. We wont be favorites any time soon if the Heat somewhat stay together and same with OKC. But if we do play the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals (which we very well could/should) then whos to say we dont have a shot? and if we beat the Heat, who says that momentum doesnt carry into the next series?

Repeating, I know were not that favorites, but for you to say that a team is a "this team (right now/ roster) is an Eastern Conference Semi's Team, period. To think otherwise is just foolish and highly questionable." and then make that seem like they have no shot at winning it all, then that is unrealistic.

[Bird Fan]

it would be unrealistic to think that if we do make the playoffs that we dont have a shot. Every team in the playoffs has a shot, thats corny as hell but so true. Who in the eastern conference are we scared of? Other than the Heat, I like our odds against any other team. We have more skill than last year, and plenty of guys who have been there and done that before(KG PP RONDO TERRY.....). Im not saying were favorites. We wont be favorites any time soon if the Heat somewhat stay together and same with OKC. But if we do play the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals (which we very well could/should) then whos to say we dont have a shot? and if we beat the Heat, who says that momentum doesnt carry into the next series?

Repeating, I know were not that favorites, but for you to say that a team is a "this team (right now/ roster) is an Eastern Conference Semi's Team, period. To think otherwise is just foolish and highly questionable." and then make that seem like they have no shot at winning it all, then that is unrealistic.

Incorrect! Every playoff team doesn't have a chance.

Next, " what's to say we don't have a shot. " well everything, fact tells us were not very good right now. Fact tells us the Miami Heat have made upgrades to their team from last year (Allen, Lewis)..The past failures against a healthy Heat Team, Celtics unability to beat Thunder, Spurs, Ext.. any real rood team.

Yes I understand it's early but the holes are there. They cannot be fixed without some degree of change. Otherwise your outcome will be the same.

This Celtic Team would get roled by Miami in five games with Healthy unit, book it. Listen, I hope it doesn't but I watch every game, my eye doesn't lie......

[Opalmerr]

NO is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, won 6 of their last 7including wins over San Antonio, Houston and at New York. Let's keep last night's loss in perspective.

[xk4]

Perspective is good. I guess in May or whenever a close "L" looks the same as a blowout "L"

Right now, my thought is that we have a distant shot at making the finals. We match up well with any team in the East (except for Milwaukee, smh). This team has been pretty successful forcing other teams to play the grind-it-out style, we always have a chance

But I really think we would get creamed in a 7 game series against OKC, SAS or LAC, and I don't see anyone else coming out of the West. Even the Spurs, the West teams play so much faster. Look what Lin and Harden did to our team on the break, and multiply that by a lot because Westbrook and Durant are even better

[69centers]

NO is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, won 6 of their last 7including wins over San Antonio, Houston and at New York. Let's keep last night's loss in perspective.

But they had Gordon in the lineup. He didn't even play last night. They were 6-2 with Gordon, 6-24 without.

[Opalmerr]

40 games in and they are 20 -20 and without an identity.

The idea of retaining the core while beginning to assemble the future makes perfect logical sense. Overall, on paper, this is a solid roster. The only off-season signing I questioned was that of Terry. I felt there were reasons Dallas "let him go" just as there were reasons DAnny did not make retaining Ray Allen a high priority. Other than that, given the resources available, I thought and continue to think DAnny did a terrific job. The one guy I wish he had pursued instead of Terry was J.J. Hickson.

Unfortunately what looked good on paper has not proven to be true in reality. DAnny has to accept responsibility for that. He has two basic options, resign his position or fix this team.

As much as I love Doc Rivers as a coach, he appears completely lost with this roster. He's unable to settle on lineups or rotations. It is Doc's job to figure these things out. It is Doc's job to place players in positions and situations from whence they have a reasonable expectation for success. Doc's not got it figured out, yet.

To be completely honest, Doc has an extremely difficult job. Pierce has aged much faster than expected. He's looking old and playing old. Still, Pierce is the face of the Celtics - a lifer. The choices with Pierce are not pleasant; Demote him to the second unit, trade him, release or retire him. He is not proving he can still fill the role that has been undeniably his for more than a decade. I would love to see Pierce go to Doc and volunteer to come off the bench, but PP has never been that type player / leader and I do not expect he will ever do this.

Doc's loyalty to Pierce, KG, Rondo (and for whatever reason Terry) is a stumbling block for this team. Green, while still inconsistent, is beginning to play pretty well, better than Pierce is playing. Lee is outplaying Terry. Barbosa brings instant energy everytime he steps onto the floor. Sullinger is outplaying Bass.

The roster was constructed with two things in mind, 1) to play "small" and dethrone Miami and 2) transition from Pierce & KG to the next generation.

Rondo, Bradley, Green, Sullinger, Lee, Melo are the young core for 2 years from now. I just cannot see the Celtics trading any of them away. If a trade is to be made it comes from the group of Bass, Terry, Barbosa, Wilcox, Collins and Pierce. I think KG is still playing well enough and is such a leader that he remains nearly untouchable. Not popular stance, I'm sure. It's certainly not the sentimental perspective, but if this team wants to win now and in the future it is the realistic business perspective.

DAnny has always said he wouldn't make the same mistake Red did... it's put up or shut up time for DAnny... and Wyc.

celticshub‏@CelticsHub

Doc Rivers drops the hammer after the game tonight, threatens trades if the team does not improve: http://sulia.com/my_thoughts/2bb1eae...source=twitter …


Don't threaten, do it. Bass, Terry, Pierce, Collins, Wilcox, Barbosa... see what can be had.

Call up Melo and start getting him NBA experience.

[Opalmerr]

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celti...-playing-awful

This is what Doc had to say after the game

"[The start of game] was awful, we are playing awful. I’m clearly not doing my job with this team. And I’m serious, I’m not trying to take a bullet for the team. And I told them that. I said, ‘We've got to find something where every night, all 12 guys play the same way.’ We did it for three games in a stretch. I told them that games 4 and 5 in that [six-game] winning streak were garbage; we just won the game. I've got to figure that out. I told the guys that, I've got to figure it out. Because I don’t think the guys are honest with each other. I just don’t think we have committed to being a good basketball team.

"I think this team wants everything easy. They want the easy way out. They want to win easy. And I told them the only way you’re going to win easy is you're going to have to play hard. The harder you play, the easier the games become. We’re taking the wrong approach. I've got to either find the right combination, the right guys, or we’re going to get some guys out of here. It’s the bottom line. Because this group right now, they are not playing right. It’s in them to play right. But right now they haven't been -- either because I’m not getting to them, or they are not getting to each other. But at the end of the day, either we've got to do that, or we've got to make changes."

Asked if the six-game winning streak simply masked a need for changes, Rivers added, "I don’t know if we need changes, I’m saying that if we don’t get it right we may. The six-game winning streak was great, three of those six we played tremendous basketball. The other three we won the game. That’s it for me. Thanks."

*****

Doc is clearly upset and stressed.

This type of diatribe from a coach acknowledging that he is not reaching the team could signal the end of the coach's tenure with the team OR fairly dramatic roster changes on the horizon... which could mean throwing this season away and going full steam ahead with a rebuild.

[Opalmerr]

Doc wants guys that will work and play hard.... after reading the article on Barbosa, yeah I think he might be one that has the right approach / make up. Put up or shut up Doc.

[xk4]

Despite our .500 record, it does feel like the sky is falling again. The East is soft and we're losing the cushion on our 8th seed. That is pretty disappointing.

Jan 15th came and went, at this point we're watching everyone's stock go down the crapper waiting for Feb 21st too?

I say this under the assumption that we're now trading for the future. Title teams don't have multiple giant losing streaks. They don't need trade threats. They don't need to be pronounced clinically still-alive at every time out.