How many wins this year?

[eja117]

right off the top of my head I have noticed I few things that indicate to me that a .500 or better season is possible. In no particular order

A very successfull summer league team

3 seemingly reasonable sucessful drafts in 3 years (I don't think any other team can say that)

The Knicks, Nets, and Wizards don't seem so great to me, and while Orlando seems good I expect Grant Hill's ankle to break any second, Steve Francis to start crying about whatever any minute, and while I like Dwight Howard I think AL J is pretty good too and I am laughing that their draft pick has decided not to play in the NBA after all.

Doc's 2nd year.

Last year we had two young guys who had clearly improved. Perk and Banks. This year we have twice as many young guys who seem to possibly be better players entering their 2nd year

A couple vets are well aware of this fact and may want to step up their game and show who are actually the better players on the team (Ricky, PP, maybe even Raef and maybe in order to save his career Blount)

Scala wasn't a bad signing.

The NBDL might accelerate the learning curve of a couple players instead of them sitting the bench, so when we call them up they are better than if they had been sitting the bench forever

Perk and Banks are entering contract option years

GP isn't around to slow things down any more

AW isn't around to hog the ball and take typically bad shots and falter in the playoffs anymore

The young kids know that

Doc coached a not great Orlando team to a decent record

Why do I get the feeling PP is pissed and is about to take it out on the competition?

Why do I get the feeling daily practice will be warlike and the most intense practices the Celts have had in 20 years?

Actual excitement at the Garden

The fact it is called the Garden again

I can say "We have a guard who can jump higher than anyone in the league" and you have to think about which one I mean

DA had plenty of ammo for trades which could improve us

[Celtic17]

derrenmatts said:

At first, I was tabbing Green to be our eventual SG. But since I like Tony Allen so much, I like the idea of having Green at SF and Tony at SG. It makes sense that way and it gives us so much athleticism at the 2 and 3.

From the Celtics official site - online chat w/ Ricky D.

JM (Manila): Hey Ricky, what do you think of your rookie teammate Gerald Green, and how much of an impact do you think he can have in his first year?

Ricky Davis: I think he's a great athletic player. I only saw him a few practices and in the summer league, and we worked out together a bit in Boston, but he looked pretty good. He needs to learn, like all rookies and we do have a number of players at the two-guard, but I think he can make an impact with our team and be a part of us winning games.

Looks like an insider puts GG at the 2 guard.

When and if Green becomes a starter, TA might end up being a defensive spark off the bench. There's all kinds of time before we ever know though. ;D

[DERRENMATTS]

Gave you a karma point for that one, Eja. Solid post throughout.

I think we will see marked improvements from Tony Allen. Jefferson will look good at times, awesome at others, and very young the rest of the time.

I feel that we can be a pretty solid team this year, even with losing Walker and Payton. Scalabrine should help us stay on track, but the young kids and they way they fit in with what Doc has been trying to get us to do, will make a big difference. We can make the playoffs, but I think getting a vet PG will help up quite a bit.

[eja117]

i forgot to mention toronto and phily's rosters don't impress me that much either. I think there is likely to be some parity and actually after looking at the rosters I think the Knicks and their new coach could (emphasis on could as in if Channing Fry, Sweetney, N Robinson, and Steph play reasonably well) be a sleeper

[Celtic17]

derrenmatts said:

I feel that we can be a pretty solid team this year, even with losing Walker and Payton.

I believe with the development of our younger players, the lose of AW and GP will be a non-factor.
They both needed to go, imo.

[DERRENMATTS]

Yes, both needed to go. It was the right move by Ainge.

I think the Wizards took a step back by letting Hughes and Dixon go.

We'll see how Larry Brown transforms the Knicks. Can they be a defensive team, the type he prefers? Can he got Marbury to change his way and become a PG who runs down the clock and slows the pace down?

[meltinjohn]

sprash98 said:

To all those who predicted 45+wins, please share with me what you are all smoking. Must be pretty good stuff. 35-43 wins, barely make playoffs, get swept in round 1. The East has improved while we have taken a few steps back.

Thats actually true. 35-41 is a good estimation with Pierce. Without him, it could be 26 wins. 9 less. Not bad for a headman being out. Our team still sucks with him there. Might as well get 25 wins without Pierce over 35 with Pierce there. Higher draft picks are at stake there also.

[meltinjohn]

derrenmatts said:

Yes, both needed to go. It was the right move by Ainge.

I think the Wizards took a step back by letting Hughes and Dixon go.

We'll see how Larry Brown transforms the Knicks. Can they be a defensive team, the type he prefers? Can he got Marbury to change his way and become a PG who runs down the clock and slows the pace down?

Washington will still do good though. Thats the difference. Butler for Brown was in major advantage of Washington also plus they got Daniels. That can easily replace Dixon and Hughes.
New York now, they can be a surprise with LB. COunt on the fact that they will pass us in the division by a good 6 games. Count on the worst for now.

[Celtic17]

Lot of stock in PP, Meltin.
I sold mine, when he waved the shirt.
No respect...

[meltinjohn]

He waved what shirt? Re-remind me.

[Celtic17]

meltinjohn said:

He waved what shirt? Re-remind me.

As he was walking through the exit, after he was called for his second tech-foul, vs Ind. He made an azz out of himself with the head rap after the game.

Remember the Tinsley foul? Turned bad...

[meltinjohn]

Oh right. He took his jersey off in the audience or some sh|t. If Paul Pierce just played the role of a true leader with no bullsh|t, he would be an untradable completely. He would be like Reggie Lewis but no, he has to do the opposite and be a jackass.

[Celtic17]

Right John.

[Roadrunner]

The fate of the season is tied to:
>the play of our point guard(s)
>P2, how he handles adversity

Though, the point guard doesn't seem key to the system Danny has established, it will dictate the ball movement, and style of play.

P2 has to be able to handle the "rookie" mistakes of his teammates.

[DERRENMATTS]

Right you are, RR.

The exciting thing about our future is that the better the young guys get, the less we need Pierce to put up big scoring games. In the past, the only way we'd win is if Piece scores 20+ pts. It won't be the case once the young players start producing points.