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Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Apr 18, 2007 12:09:10 GMT -5
It was a bitterly disappointing campaign that saw us drop 8 or 9 games in the standings after it was thought that last year was as bad as it could get. Over 300 man games were lost due to injury. An opportunity was squandered to get off to a good start with a pansy opening month schedule. The coach failed to set his lineup and used combinations that seemed to defy matchup logic. As a result, the team went through one of the worst stretches in NBA history and thoroughly depressed it's fans. How the Garden crowd managed to stay supportive is beyond me, but I suspect it is the kids of old schoolers from the 1970's and 1980's that inhabit this place and are clueless to what Celtic Pride really means. They just don't seem to hear Johnny Most's irrascable voice yelling at the referees. We became doormats in our building. The low point of the year was the Kobe bandwagoners shouting MVP MVP. Losses to preserve our 19.9% chance to get Greg Oden or 38.9% chance to get Oden or Durant became revered. I found myself rooting FOR THE KNICKS TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS just so they deny the Bulls a higher pick and that Isiah will be extended. I got one out of two wishes there.
The win in San Antonio and the win Monday night in Miami were two of the memorable wins. There was that 5 game winning streak in December to put us in the Atlantic Division lead at 10 and 13 just before Christmas. Then Pierce got hurt and the rest of the team got hurt. We had the talent to win this division but not the coaching and certainly not the front office. Yet the owners support both (I guess the goody two shoes image sold enough tickets to make them money).
For this summer and the future:
Yes, May 22 will be a very important day in our history as Celtics fans. We can pick anywhere from 1 to 5. The key will be how well Danny Ainge and his scouting staff prepare for all the possibilities and opportunities that have presented themselves. It is possible that the Celtics could get totally screwed by drawing the #5 pick and not being able to package it with Ratliffe's contract for a suitable veteran and Pierce demands a trade out of Boston. In which case - 40 cents on the dollar plus a couple of future #1's. Then Doc will have to rely on Rondo, West, Green, Jefferson, and Perkins with Tony Allen, Gomes, Scalabrine, and flotsam from Pierce's trade to carry next years load. The team will improve only because of experience. Then decisions have to be made about who to extend and who to let go. The roster will keep turning over and over with no improvement just like the Pitino Era. Pierce is trying to sell Boston to his veteran NBA friends but they will tell Pierce to get his !!!GREENIAC!!! out of Boston. There are 10 NBA franchises that cannot rise up unless they get a lucky draft pick or trade or free agent signing. One or two of those get out of the bottom ten every year. Is it our turn?
Success is never guarenteed in the NBA or anywhere else in todays turbelent world. Take care and God Bless Celtics Nation.
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Post by CelticsLoyalist on Apr 18, 2007 12:39:48 GMT -5
I think this should be posted on the Blog!!
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Apr 18, 2007 13:55:24 GMT -5
My thoughts exactly. I was planning to post it tomorrow morning so I can include the link in the daily links on Celtics Blog.
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Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Apr 18, 2007 14:36:13 GMT -5
Thank You, This really does mean something to me.
B
C
P
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Post by celticfan on Apr 18, 2007 17:36:23 GMT -5
well that's a little dark and scary to read, it could possibly happen.
If Peirce is traded (and for crying out loud I hope he's not! The man appreciates being part of a strong historic franchise), then we had at least best get some serviceable players.
Problem is we have very serviceable players right now, they just are too young to do all the small things to make this team a success.
The injuries killed this team from turning it around. I don't think they woulda kept up with the Raptors, who really came together in the 2nd half because they were healthy until near the end.
Not being healthy hurt the young C's from developing chemistry. Chemistry is so vital to being a good defensive team. Especially if you don't have any players that are defensive stand outs.
The good communication and help D can make mediocre defenders into a strong unit.
If the team stays healthy next year (Theo and Wally are excempt. If either play over 45 games, it will be like finding a 20 dollar bill with a candy bar too)
So well things may seem bleak, good health and one or two solid trades could really make this team a playoff contender even if we don't get one of the two franchise players.
If we get them, we could win the division and be a top 4 team IMO.
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Post by CelticsLoyalist on Apr 18, 2007 17:47:32 GMT -5
My thoughts exactly. I was planning to post it tomorrow morning so I can include the link in the daily links on Celtics Blog. Yeah, I was waiting as well. Be perfect! Thx Q. Keep up the good work Men! Erm and FL... Loy *turns on heals and goes back into the office...to do nothing....of course* |
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Post by eja117 on Apr 18, 2007 18:32:58 GMT -5
Reasons we improve next year even if we don't get Durant or Oden
In no particular order
1 Perk is likely to be healthier. Like 60% healthier and 30% better
2. TA is likely to play 80% of the season instead of 45%
3. Wally and Theo combined will almost certainly be available for more games than they were this year
4. Doc will have no more excuses and will HAVE to coach
5. Seeing as how Scala has had a taste of sucess maybe he will work harder this offseason
6. Powe and Ray will probably be better and hungry. They both know they have to make Gomesesque improvement to stick with 2 draft picks showing up
7 Delonte might stop taking stupid chances and I think he might miss 7% less games next year.
8. GG will put on another 5 lbs, go to another summer camp thing, and you gotta think he's gonna watch a ton of tape and try to figure things out
9 You gotta think Rondo will put on 3lbs of muscle and work on his shooting like nuts
10 Top 5 draft pick who at least won't hurt. If he's Noah that will at least sell some tickets and jerseys
11 $7 million comes off the books
12 Al J seems to realize he can be really good and seems to want to be. He has sworn not to eat his mom's food this offseason. I expect him to be 12% better next year.
13 DA finally gets a really high 2nd rounder to work with. I nearly guarantee that pick will beat out Bassy or Ray or Powe. It might be a big man we stash in Europe for a year till there's an opening after Theo and Bassy leave after next year.
14 Speaking of Gomes I bet he will work on his ball handling, passing, and especially (long range) shooting and will come back even better yet again. Even if he gets beat out by a draft pick he will beat out Scala. He realizes Scala's long range shooting got him minutes, so now Gomes will do it too. Gomes is determined to keep getting minutes and he will.
15 Bassy has got to realize he is at a fork in the road. One road points towards what he was born to do. The other points towards Marcus Banks Avenue. I expect him to play like a possesed banshee in Summer League and the exhibition season. If West or Rondo get hurt he will have a shot. He has to see that.
16 If PP comes back and sees the young guys are another 15% better and that the draft picks will help and that the team is healthy I think he will be plenty motivated cause he will finally feel like maybe he will actually lead a team to something it can be proud of. No sharing credit with Toine. No stupid playoff meltdowns. Just redemption.
17. Clifford Ray will be with Perk, Powe, Al J, and probably a draft pick for another year.
18. With all this tank talk behind us it will feel like a weight has been lifted.
19. Maybe guys like Perk will get better at not fouling
20 It will be really funny when GG and TA decide to enter the dunk contest together and DA and Doc simultaneously yell "OVER MY DEAD BODY". DA refuses to let GG defend his title. Stern fines DA $44,000 proving he has a sense of humor, and states GG has to show up. DA secretly instructs GG to make public comments he's only entering the contest for the 50K check. GG gets fined 50K and wins the contest easily and says "So I guess I'm even" Everyone has a good laugh Scooby Doo style. GG accidentally reveals DA instructed him to make anti-dunk contest comments. Stern fines DA another $44,000 and DA yells "And I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for that meddling kid!"
Cue the credits.
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Post by ferbo on Apr 19, 2007 1:35:52 GMT -5
DA is going to think long and hard before he passes over Durant. Durant is Birdlike in what he can do for a team, only quicker.
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Post by freshnthehouse on Apr 19, 2007 7:22:04 GMT -5
DA is going to think long and hard before he passes over Durant. Durant is Birdlike in what he can do for a team, only quicker. His scoring is Birdlike, but KD cant touch Bird's passing skills. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2007 12:00:59 GMT -5
When is the draft lottery ?
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Post by eja117 on Apr 19, 2007 13:27:51 GMT -5
May 22 I think
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Post by celticfan on Apr 19, 2007 18:42:51 GMT -5
yes it's may 22nd oh and EJA #11 7 Mill off the books? more like 200 k www.hoopshype.com/salaries/boston.htmand after next year, gonna have to sign a few of the young'uns to long term contracts (like say a certain #7) |
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Post by eja117 on Apr 19, 2007 19:45:05 GMT -5
I can't believe we lose the salaries of Baker, L jackson, B Grant, Kandi, Pittsnoggle, O greene, and Pinkney and only 200K comes off. It's cause everyone else goes up. With the draft picks it'll be higher actually, but at least it goes to players actually playing. Plus hopefully we'll get playoff revenue next year, and with Vince probably leaving the Nets it'll get easier to reach the playoffs even with only minor improvement. At least 11mill comes off the books next year and then 13mill after that. A heck of a lot of that will go to Al and the others though. The Celts have got to offer a little less than fair market value to everyone the way the Pats do. if anyone other than Al wants more it should be "take a hike". Good luck getting more on the open market. There is no way on Earth a guy like Delonte can expect to make more than say Perk, especially while Gomes is making under a mill.
Also what exactly is a qualifying offer? What does that mean?
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Post by Roadrunner on Apr 19, 2007 22:42:24 GMT -5
Well, hopefully the fans (or you know who you are) are going to complain less next year for whatever reasons. Ex: Durant, Oden, etc. The guys this year busted their butts, and the arm-chair basketball players kept on saying what is wrong w/ the team. Injuries. If you ever played sports, and were injured, then you feel their pain.  |
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Post by freshnthehouse on Apr 20, 2007 1:39:10 GMT -5
Is Gomes' contract up next year?
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