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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 16, 2006 21:47:48 GMT -5
And what's even sweeter is our 4 straight road wins. I don't want to jinx us and say that we are turning our season around, but there have been a lot of positives in our play lately. We mustn't get carried away because there are still stretches of bad basketball (at least one bad quarter every game) in which we give up leads or we fall behind by wide margins, but winning covers up a multitude of deficiencies and it certainly has lately.
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cfoo
Welcome To Celtics Green!
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Post by cfoo on Dec 16, 2006 21:49:06 GMT -5
I agree. I feel like when I start bashing guys they prove me wrong, so I might continue doing that. Although it's hard not to be positive here.
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Post by eja117 on Dec 16, 2006 21:52:57 GMT -5
I'm sitting here waiting for an injury. I don't know who or what. If life was fair it would be PP or Scal (or maybe Delonte or Telfair for just a few weeks to get Rondo out there), but it'll probably be Al. If not him than TA just as he starts to do well. In fact I am absolutely counting on it. But if nobody gets hurt and they just keep winning i won't know what to think. I never anticipated that possibility. Not like this. This is getting nuts.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 16, 2006 22:06:38 GMT -5
Waiting for an injury? We've been hit pretty hard with the injury bug. So far in 23 games, all of our big men have suffered some kind of set back and have missed games. Theo, Kandi, Perk, Jefferson and Gomes have all called in sick at one point. So has Wally, Rajon and Delonte.
Hope no one is superstitious, but if ever there was a time in Pierce's career in which he could take off a week to nurse an injury, now would be the best time. I'm curious to see how we will do without him, and aside from trading him away, the only way we'll get to see that is if he's hurt. I think we're close to being able to move on without Pierce. He has been playing incredibly well lately, but in his absense, a number of players may step up in his place. I see Wally, Allen and Gerald all stepping their games up a notch, and I see Jefferson asserting himself more as a focal point on offense. Telfair and Rondo will also be asked to be more aggressive, and Gomes will get more touches as well.
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Post by eja117 on Dec 16, 2006 22:14:27 GMT -5
If PP left those would be a big 42 mins to replace. Unfortunately it would probably mean more minutes for Scala too. Man that would be amazing if they gavae away PP for free. Like for just draft picks and expiring or droppable contracts. Just to free up mins and money
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 16, 2006 22:36:44 GMT -5
I've mentioned this in a couple of the Gasol trade posts, but trading Pierce away in a multi team trade that will net us Gasol is the move to make, IMO. Forget about Iverson, Gasol makes more sense. With 2 big time scoring big men in the middle, teams will not be able to stop our post game.
As long as we have a). good outside shooters (check), b). guys who can slash to the basket (check), and c). a PG who can mix up the ball distribution between the inside/outside attack (check), we will be able to move on without Pierce.
Good outside shooters: Wally, Gerald, Delonte, Ray, and Gomes Slashers: Gerald, Allen, Rondo, and Telfair PG's: Telfair and Rondo
Surround these guys around Jefferson and Gasol--2 capable 20 ppg/10 rpg big men--and we are in business to proceed towards our championship.
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cfoo
Welcome To Celtics Green!
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Post by cfoo on Dec 16, 2006 22:50:24 GMT -5
I agree Derren that if we are going to make a trade that is the type of deal to make, but I'm still not sure I would do it. Paul Pierce is a better player than Gasol regardless of position. As much as I agree there are some benefits to that, there are also benefits to having a player like Pierce. Except for Detroit most teams that win have that star player who can carry you, whether it's wade, or shaq, or kobe, or jordan, or bird, or magic or whoever. Is Green ready to be that or will he be any time soon? Becoming the kings is not necessarily what I want to that extent. The kings were a pretty fragile team because they didn't have that star player. Anyone got hurt and they didn't have that guy that could make up the difference.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 16, 2006 23:23:53 GMT -5
The way I see it, Pierce adds strength to a position that already has adequate strength. But Gasol will give us strength where we aren't as strong. Gerald is going to turn out to be a fantastic player and maybe he won't reach Pierce's status. But on a balanced team where we don't need individual heroics to win games, our balanced team attack will allow us to move on without Pierce. Plus, if you look back at past drafts, its easier to draft good wing players than it is to draft good big men. We can lose Pierce and get back a good wing player through the draft.
If you are concerned about star players, I think Jefferson and Gasol can form a pretty formidable offensive frontline that may be the best in the NBA. Add in Gerald, who I feel can be a star-type player, and we have most of the bases covered.
Its better to be stronger in the frontline than it is to be at the wing spots--that's the way I look at it. By moving Pierce in this scenario, we gain one of the best big men in the league and we allow Gerald to grow into role.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 16, 2006 23:25:54 GMT -5
Of course, if we keep Pierce, than we'll probably lose Gerald. And that would work too, because having Pierce, Jefferson and Gasol is a pretty formidable team as well. But if we keep Pierce, we'd lose more of our young players.
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cfoo
Welcome To Celtics Green!
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Post by cfoo on Dec 16, 2006 23:31:07 GMT -5
I agree that Gasol and Jefferson would be a good tandem. I also would rather keep the young guys, but the thing is Green is not going to be ready right away imo, so there is no rush. And as it looks right now there is plenty of time for Allen, Pierce and Wally, so I'm not sure why you say Pierce has to go. Wally isn't going to last forever.
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Post by BCHISTORIAN on Dec 17, 2006 5:43:48 GMT -5
derren, it seems that you are desperately trying to trade pp lately.
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Post by eja117 on Dec 17, 2006 9:30:48 GMT -5
I'd like to add guys that can get rebs and blocks and dominate the paint, and between AL J, Gomes, Powe if he ever gets mins, Scal (very reluctantly), Perk, and Gasol if we got him that is also a check, even though one of those might have to go in a trade for him
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 17, 2006 23:30:13 GMT -5
I agree that Gasol and Jefferson would be a good tandem. I also would rather keep the young guys, but the thing is Green is not going to be ready right away imo, so there is no rush. And as it looks right now there is plenty of time for Allen, Pierce and Wally, so I'm not sure why you say Pierce has to go. Wally isn't going to last forever. The reason why I'd do the trade now is because Gasol is available now. Green is not ready to step into Pierce's shoe right now, but the quicker we get him on the court and play him big minutes, the sooner he can develop his vast talents. And that won't happen with Pierce here.
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Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Dec 18, 2006 8:54:39 GMT -5
Oh no! Not the Pierce for Gasol rumours again......
Gasol is a terrific player but I think Memphis is in the cut payroll mode because of ownership change.
I always wanted to trade for Shane Battier. Look at Houston this year to see why. Memphis made a mistake getting rid of this guy and going with Rudy Gay. Stromile Swift is nothing special.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 18, 2006 14:49:34 GMT -5
Not Pierce for Gasol straight up (like you said, Memphis is looking to cut payroll). Another team, or teams, would need to get involved so that Memphis gets what they want.
We can keep Pierce, but we're going to lose our young talents in the process (most likely Green, outside chance that its Jefferson).
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