Post by DERRENMATTS on May 6, 2018 3:20:59 GMT -5
I'm assessing the Celtics team that is playing right now -- no Hayward, no Kyrie, no Theis, Jaylen with a bad hammy, and Smart with a bad right thumb.
Like what Ainge commonly says, he doesn't want to put a cap on how good we can be; I don't either because for all intents and purposes, we shouldn't be here right now. When Hayward went crashing to the floor just minutes into the first game of the season, our championship aspirations crashed to the floor along with him -- but we went on to win 16 straight games shortly after that. When Kyrie's season ended after learning of an infection in his surgically repaired knee, we lost our best player, and another All-Star. But we entered the playoffs, and proceeded to knock off the Bucks.
And confronting the red hot Sixers in the second round, who entered the playoffs riding an amazing high, and easily defeating the Heat, the Vegas odds were against us winning this series. And on paper, they seemed right -- they have 2 unworldly players in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Even former Celtic, Antoine Walker, doubted this team and said we'd lose in 5 games.
But here we are, with a 3-0 lead in the series, one win away from sending the Sixers home, and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
So how good are we really? With the Cavs having problems of their own (Lebron having to play like Superman every game in order to win), we have a shot at making it out of the East and playing in the NBA Finals. So does this mean we are genuine title contenders?
I say no, even though I don't want to put a cap on this team that plays with tremendous heart and discipline.
I say it is more due to the fact that the East is still not as strong as it needs to be, that we have made it this far. The Bucks aren't a good team -- they just have an unreal freak named Giannis, and one of the most underrated players in the NBA named Kris Middleton (and a lot of height and length). They are a few pieces away from being a solid playoff team, but they're not there yet. They might have beaten us, but Brad Stevens out-coached Joe Prunty. The Sixers are fools gold, at least right now. They had a weak schedule the final month of the season (though, to their credit, they were playing well), and in Round 1 of the playoffs, they matched up against a weak Miami Heat team. They're not as good as the media is making them out to be.
We're most likely going to move on to the ECF, and face a Cavs team that isn't as feared as in year's past. They have huge chinks in their armor, and I think we're capable of exposing them. They're a highly flawed team that finished 4th in the East, despite of having the great Lebron James.
What I'm saying is, we could realistically make it to the NBA Finals THIS year, but we are not a genuine title contender. We are severely handcuffed, missing 2 All-NBA caliber players in Kyrie and Hayward.
I'll finish this post by saying THIS team is incredible, and has played way beyond anyone imagined we could have. We've conquered tremendous obstacles, doubts and criticism, and still welcome all challenges. Really proud of these guys, and looking forward to contending for the title next year.
Like what Ainge commonly says, he doesn't want to put a cap on how good we can be; I don't either because for all intents and purposes, we shouldn't be here right now. When Hayward went crashing to the floor just minutes into the first game of the season, our championship aspirations crashed to the floor along with him -- but we went on to win 16 straight games shortly after that. When Kyrie's season ended after learning of an infection in his surgically repaired knee, we lost our best player, and another All-Star. But we entered the playoffs, and proceeded to knock off the Bucks.
And confronting the red hot Sixers in the second round, who entered the playoffs riding an amazing high, and easily defeating the Heat, the Vegas odds were against us winning this series. And on paper, they seemed right -- they have 2 unworldly players in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Even former Celtic, Antoine Walker, doubted this team and said we'd lose in 5 games.
But here we are, with a 3-0 lead in the series, one win away from sending the Sixers home, and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
So how good are we really? With the Cavs having problems of their own (Lebron having to play like Superman every game in order to win), we have a shot at making it out of the East and playing in the NBA Finals. So does this mean we are genuine title contenders?
I say no, even though I don't want to put a cap on this team that plays with tremendous heart and discipline.
I say it is more due to the fact that the East is still not as strong as it needs to be, that we have made it this far. The Bucks aren't a good team -- they just have an unreal freak named Giannis, and one of the most underrated players in the NBA named Kris Middleton (and a lot of height and length). They are a few pieces away from being a solid playoff team, but they're not there yet. They might have beaten us, but Brad Stevens out-coached Joe Prunty. The Sixers are fools gold, at least right now. They had a weak schedule the final month of the season (though, to their credit, they were playing well), and in Round 1 of the playoffs, they matched up against a weak Miami Heat team. They're not as good as the media is making them out to be.
We're most likely going to move on to the ECF, and face a Cavs team that isn't as feared as in year's past. They have huge chinks in their armor, and I think we're capable of exposing them. They're a highly flawed team that finished 4th in the East, despite of having the great Lebron James.
What I'm saying is, we could realistically make it to the NBA Finals THIS year, but we are not a genuine title contender. We are severely handcuffed, missing 2 All-NBA caliber players in Kyrie and Hayward.
I'll finish this post by saying THIS team is incredible, and has played way beyond anyone imagined we could have. We've conquered tremendous obstacles, doubts and criticism, and still welcome all challenges. Really proud of these guys, and looking forward to contending for the title next year.
