...a more potent foursome than what we could potentially see in the East and West conference finals?
Hear me out, Lakers-Spurs, Cavs-Celts, might not happen (Orlando?), but each team has upped the ante to historic proportions.
The Lakers were already the best team in the NBA - Kobe is at his peak, Gasol/Odom/Bynum could blow up as one of the top big trios, and Artest most certainly brings it, including boatloads of hype.
The Cavs were the best team last regular season, and they've gotten better. The Cavs in the Finals three years ago was a forgettable team, but now they've developed some history, LeBron is almost bigger than the game himself, and we all know that if there's one thing Shaq brings, it's also da hype.
The Celtics will have KG back in full force, and with the other starters and the legend of the Green that alone would be enough, but by grabbing Rashweed, one of the the most talented bad-boys in the history of the game, they too are going all in.
The Spurs are always under the radar, and while Jefferson and McDyess aren't headline grabbers, the front office arguably had the best summer of all teams, and may have assembled the strongest Spurs team ever. Duncan is on a mission to beat out Kobe and Shaq for that fifth ring (whose thumb???), and the rest of the team is locked and loaded to try and stake the claim to 'best team of the decade'.
Usually there's a team or two of mega-proportions, but c'mon, this is HUGE. Ever been bigger?
Last edited by pressurez; 08-08-2009 at 10:28 PM.
Mark my words, the Celts will NOT be contenders this season.
KG is no longer elite, Pierce & Allen are too old, and 'Sheed is a below average starter.
Rondo is pretty good, but won't make the all-star team because the Celts are going to drop to below 50 wins.
"KG is no longer elite, Pierce & Allen are too old, and 'Sheed is a below average starter."
. They are an old team. After their starting five they have a big dropoff. The starting 5 they have is one of the best out there. You cant tell me they wont be contenders. They will be. Will they win a championship...I doubt it, will they be in the ECF over Cleveland or Orlando...probably not, but KG is still elite, and Sheed is not a below average starter. He isnt what he used to be. None of them are, but You couple Garnett, Allen, Pierce, and Rasheed, with Rajon Rondo, and you have one of a team.
Perkins will still start. Rashweed off the bench is pretty nice, especially if motivated by KG. And I suspect they'll get Glen Davis back and probably one more little signing (hopefully not Bruce).
Even if it's Orlando, still as big a foursome as any in recent memory, no?
I really like the Cavs moves for Shaq, Anthony Parker, and Jamario Moon.
With Shaq, not only do they get a force down low and someone who can command double teams, but they can bring Z off the bench and his double digits. With Parker, they can do the same with Delonte West, and with Jamario Moon, Well lets just say hes head and shoulders better then anyone theyve had to backup LeBron, and if you get somebody that runs the court like him, LeBron will find him. This is their second string!
PG-Delonte West
SG-Daniel Gibson
SF-Jamario Moon
PF-JJ Hickson
C-Zydrunas Illgauskus
Thats pretty good, not to mention they have Anderson Verajao and MO WILLIAMS who is sooooo underrated!
Disagree with you here. KG is still elite. I think hes still on or around Duncan's level. His numbers might not be there, but hes as important to the Celtics as Duncan is to the Spurs.
Im not sure why anyone would assume Sheed would start ahead of Perkins. That team has alot more balance with Perkins doing the dirty work on the inside. Sheed is too similar to Garnett to start them together, especially when you have a defensive beast in Perkins.
I think they are a real chance at winning another le.
OK..honestly, this scares the out of me. Sounds exactly like what everyone was saying about S.A. in 2007.
Totally false.
I really hope that was a joke post.
celtics are contenders for another 1 or two years. in fact, right now i would even say they are the favorites.
me too. cavs made a perplexing move to have risked their entire future on the health of shaq. if shaq isn't completely like his 2009 form then cavs won't have a chance at even reaching the finals leading lebron to leave the cavs forever.
Actually, it sounds more like Laker fans talking about the Spurs in 2009-2010.
I say The Lakers are the Champs until Somebody Beats Them. But I Think Boston Will be really hard to beat this year.... They Took orlando 7 games without there best player in garnett, and Powe Being Hurt as Well. Plus Now you Add Sheed to the Mix. If They Stay Healthy I see Boston being The Best. Im Seeing Lakers v Spurs in the West..... And Cavs v Celtics In the east.... WOW, What A final Four!
There is no question that the talent on at least 6 teams is some of the best assembled in the NBA. Injuries, or the lack thereof, could be huge difference-makers in 2009-10.
As I think back, the mid 1980s, particularly around 1985-86, there were some very talented teams. Boston, LA Lakers, Detroit, Philadelphia, Houston, Milwaukee and Denver all had good talent.
The Celts had Parish, McHale, Bird, Dennis Johnson, Jerry Sichting, Danny Ainge plus Bill Walton, Scott Wedman and even Rick Carlisle.
The Lakers had Kareem, Rambis, Worthy, Byron Scott, Magic, Michael Cooper, Mo Lucas, AC Green and Mitch Kupchak.
The Pistons had Isaiah, Dumars, Kelly Tripucka, Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn, Vinny the Microwave, Tony Campbell and John Long.
The 76ers had Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, Dr. J., Andrew Toney, Mo Cheeks, Bobby Jones, Bob McAdoo, Sedale Threatt and Terry Catledge.
The Rockets had Ralph Sampson, Hakeem, Rodney McCray, Lewis Lloyd, Mitc Wiggins, John Lucas, Robert Reid, Jim Peterson, Allen Leavell, and Craig Ehlo.
The Milwaukee Bucks had a very tough lineup with a couple of great defensive players in Sidney Moncrief and Paul Pressey to go with scoring machine Ricky Pierce, Terry mings, shot-blocker Alton Lister, Randy Breuer, Paul Mokeski, and Craig Hodges.
The Final Four ended up being Boston versus Milwaukee and the Lakers and Rockets. The Rockets stunned the Lakers (remember Sampson's contorted miracle shot at the buzzer?) and Boston prevailed. Then MVP Larry Bird and the Celts put on a strong performance to take Houston in the Finals.
There was great talent in the NBA in 1985-86, some of it aging (Dr. J and Kareem) and some of it young and heading for s om (Stockton, Karl Malone, Barkley, Olajuwon and Laimbeer).
This year Spurs are somewhat overrated?
Spurs ranked NO.1 in off-season movement by ESPN's Chad Ford and David Aldrige.
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