Can The Celtics Repeat As NBA Champions In 2009???

[endrity]

Unless Cleveland improves their team next year, the Celtics have a highway to the Finals next year as well.

In the West, no one knows what will happen. I don't think the Mavs and Spurs are done yet, but the Suns seem like they don't have a clear idea of what to do next. Lakers, Jazz, Hornets should all be better next year as well. We'll see about Portland, I still think they are at least a year away from making some real noise. You don't just make it to the playoffs and become an instant contender in the league.
Houston, well it all depends on the health of Yao and T-Mac, which judging on what's gone on I don't think it's a great scenario to put your hopes on.

[NBA Junkie]

They have a great chance of repeating.

Two of the big three in Pierce and Garnett will give them at least 3-4 more strong seasons. Pierce gets by on strength and guile more than athleticism. Garnett, is a physical freak of nature who will continue to be effective even when his game starts to decline because he's a smart player.

Allen may have his career prolonged since he's now a spot-up shooter and guys like that can have long careers. Rondo, will continue to improve and could eventually become the third star that replaces Allen.

Look for this team to continue to sign bargain players with the MLE and the LLE.

Not only can they repeat next season, they could possibly run off a few more before Garnett and Pierce hang it up.

[remingtonbo2001]

It's an odd year.

Are you serious?

History says Spurs in 09'.

[Spurs da champs]

You are a moron

celtics won'y repeat because they are old? yet you say the spurs will make it? please...

pierce and KG are still in their prime and playing at a very high level and ray allen hasn't showed much sign of slowing down either

with an improved rondo and powe the celtics will be even stronger next season...along with who they add this summer...

magic? until they get a backcourt they have no shot

Re can you read? I said if the Spurs make major free agent signings and do well in the draft, They are defiantly back in the le hunt.
Pierce is the only one much in his prime.

The magic do have a shot, They were cheated out in game 2 that billups three pointer should not have counted.

And no the celtics will be weaker next season.

[Magic_Johnson]

they'll probably be in the finals again (the east sucks). So they have a good chance

[Banzai]

Bull . They haven't signed so-called quality players with the exception of Gasol, whose acquisition was very dubious, because players don't want to be on a team with Bryant calling all the shots. Bryant is a ballhogging, super-egotistical, cancerous boil latched onto the Lakers that should have been traded long ago for quality, younger talent.

Even if Kobe were traded where would he go? Bulls? Pistons? Spurs?

[daslicer]

Shaquille O'neal, Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Ron Harper, Brian Shaw, Rick Fox.......I can go on and on here.

The bottomline is LAL has never had a problem attracting quality veteran players. They haven't done so in the past 4 years because they have been in rebuild mode.

Actually all those guys came because of SHAQ and not Kobe. Brian Shaw off the court is one of Shaq's closet friends. Shaq recruited those other guys Payton, Malone, Harper, and Fox. Kobe is just hateable prima dona nobody who is above average will come there if they have other teams throwing money in their face. You guys could attract a talented headcase player like Ricky Davis that nobody wants market but no bargain players.

[DazedAndConfused]

Actually all those guys came because of SHAQ and not Kobe. Brian Shaw off the court is one of Shaq's closet friends. Shaq recruited those other guys Payton, Malone, Harper, and Fox. Kobe is just hateable prima dona nobody who is above average will come there if they have other teams throwing money in their face. You guys could attract a talented headcase player like Ricky Davis that nobody wants market but no bargain players.

Wrong, and I'm not going to bother arguing with you anymore. Kobe has nothing to do with FA's not coming to LA. No ring chasing vet is going to go to a team that is in rebuilding mode, it's that simple.

If Shaq was such a good recruiter why couldn't he get Tyron Lue to sign with the Suns? It's because FA's go where they think they have the best chance of winning.

[daslicer]

Wrong, and I'm not going to bother arguing with you anymore. Kobe has nothing to do with FA's not coming to LA. No ring chasing vet is going to go to a team that is in rebuilding mode, it's that simple.

If Shaq was such a good recruiter why couldn't he get Tyron Lue to sign with the Suns? It's because FA's go where they think they have the best chance of winning.

The bottom line is majority of players 98 percent hate Kobe. Shaq is damn good recruiter you have gotta to be 10 years old. This is the same guy who convinced Horace Grant to leave Chicago all the way back in the summer of '94 for a smaller one year contract while chicago offered him around 4 years 32 mil and the contract he got from the magic was around the 3-5 mil range. Grant would a year later on get a big deal that would have pay him more money but to walk away from sure thing to uncertain situation is rare among nba players and because of that you have to give Shaq a lot of credit for his recruiting.

How old are you walking vagina 13-15 year old. a few years ago it was Shaq who called up Gary Payton and Malone to take less money to play for the lakers. They didn't come because they were cool with Kobe they came because they were boys with Shaq. Also back to the Lue situation no matter how great of recruiter you are you can attract all FA's but if you can attract a good share of above average players then you are doing a good job.

Duncan's recruiting skills are better then Kobe. You know Duncan is the one who brought in Stephen Jackson in the summer of '01. It was Duncan who got Brent Barry, Michael Finley, and NVE to commit to the spurs.

Nobody likes Kobe he hasn't been able to get anybody to come to LA since the Post-Shaq era. Name me one good FA the Lakers have signed during the offseason that occured during the last 4 years. Players hate Kobe the only way they get a good FA is if there is no other place for that quality FA to go other then LA. LA will end up signing some loser FA that is like Marko Jaric quality player.

[DazedAndConfused]

The bottom line is majority of players 98 percent hate Kobe. Shaq is damn good recruiter you have gotta to be 10 years old. This is the same guy who convinced Horace Grant to leave Chicago all the way back in the summer of '94 for a smaller one year contract while chicago offered him around 4 years 32 mil and the contract he got from the magic was around the 3-5 mil range. Grant would a year later on get a big deal that would have pay him more money but to walk away from sure thing to uncertain situation is rare among nba players and because of that you have to give Shaq a lot of credit for his recruiting.

How old are you walking vagina 13-15 year old. a few years ago it was Shaq who called up Gary Payton and Malone to take less money to play for the lakers. They didn't come because they were cool with Kobe they came because they were boys with Shaq. Also back to the Lue situation no matter how great of recruiter you are you can attract all FA's but if you can attract a good share of above average players then you are doing a good job.

Duncan's recruiting skills are better then Kobe. You know Duncan is the one who brought in Stephen Jackson in the summer of '01. It was Duncan who got Brent Barry, Michael Finley, and NVE to commit to the spurs.

Nobody likes Kobe he hasn't been able to get anybody to come to LA since the Post-Shaq era. Name me one good FA the Lakers have signed during the offseason that occured during the last 4 years. Players hate Kobe the only way they get a good FA is if there is no other place for that quality FA to go other then LA. LA will end up signing some loser FA that is like Marko Jaric quality player.

I guess we'll find out this off-season now that LAL is a contender again.

[The_Game]

Re can you read? I said if the Spurs make major free agent signings and do well in the draft, They are defiantly back in the le hunt.
Pierce is the only one much in his prime.

The magic do have a shot, They were cheated out in game 2 that billups three pointer should not have counted.

And no the celtics will be weaker next season.

How can the spurs make major changes with only the MLE? it's just not going to happen....

Pierce is the only one in his prime? what are you on? KG has been a monster this year and his defense is the best in the league..how the can you say he isn't in his prime? idiot

KG is still a top 5 player and a top 2 PF......he is going to be this good for quite a few more years yet.

they were cheated out of game 2? not just it was a last sec shot that went in..it was a shot to end the 3rd quarter.........hardly the same

orlando have no backcourt so therefore..no they won't win the east

it think it is laughable you think celtics will be weaker next season..they simply won't be.

[Ghazi]

top 5 is a tad generous for KG

[The_Game]

I don't think so

he is still a consistant 20 and 10 guy or close to it with amazing defense....not many players can say that are that.