Boston Celtics headed towards Finals

[mardigan]

I think most Spur fans just think the Pistons are done after watching the Cavs play in the Finals and wondering how the this team beat the Pistons

[freedom&justice]

^That's easy. They got demoralized by game 5, akin to the Spurs when Fisher hit .4 The Pistons all but gave up after Gibson kept nailing those 3's in game 6.

they are still great players..old or not.

Pistons are done, they have worn down in the playoffs the last two years and failed badly. their best players are not what they were and they have have lost webber. Bulls may be deep but their best player isn't even better than Boston's 3rd best player....that says it all. depth only means something if your starters are all good enough. bulls aren't.

I disagree. As Jamstone said, the starters are slowing down, but they're not "done". In my eyes, it all comes down to time management. The bench has to play - which, if Joe has his way, they will. Webber's impact on the team was, I think, just a little overstated. He's not as big of a loss as people think.
The Pistons' starting five consists of 2 30+ year old players; Miami has at least 3 - by measuring age alone I'd say the Heat are the ones who are "done". And the Spurs' lineup has 4 30+ players in the starting five - Pop just does a good job keeping them fresh when it matters.

[ShoogarBear]

I've probably said it before, but if there comes a year where Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are both in contract years, LOOK OUT NBA...

Either that, or look out Celtics, because there's only one ball.

[spursreport]

Lack of a legit superstar has caught up to the Pistons. They had their nice magical season in 04. It's funny how people dog the celts bench and supporting cast yet Lebron had pure dog around him and no legit star as a 2nd or 3rd option. If you want to throw the "there will be ego issues" card just look at the 2006 Miami Heat. Nuff said. If this team can stay healthy and play team ball, they will win the east.

[Mr.ChugDynasty]

thanks golden state for proving that dallas didn't even deserve to play us.

LMAO yeah ing right, don't be homer you ...mavs would have given us a better series then any other "team" we faced

OFF AND DIE

[JamStone]

I would venture to say that Ray is still a much better player than Rip. We will have to see how those grafted ankles hold up though.
And even if he isnt better than Rip, their first two options are better than the Pistons first two options.
I just really think if the Cavs can make it to the Finals, I dont see any reason why the the Celts couldnt make it.
But as stated many times, chemistry will play a big part, as well as injurys. If Tony Allen can come back and play at the level he played at last year before he got hurt, they could be a very scary team

Rip actually has outplayed Ray Allen over the last couple years when they've played.

I can also say that Boston's fourth best player isn't better than any of Detroit's best seven players. It is a team game right? Or, how about Detroit's best five players are better than Boston's five best players. That is probably true as well.

The Cavs got the Finals, yes. So did a mentally fragile Dallas Mavericks team. If Dallas can make it to the Finals, then Phoenix can as well. Then, yes, Boston can and Chicago can.

Newsflash: any really good team can make it to the Finals if they play well at the right time, stay healthy, and they have some good breaks along the way.

[JamStone]

Lack of a legit superstar has caught up to the Pistons. They had their nice magical season in 04. It's funny how people dog the celts bench and supporting cast yet Lebron had pure dog around him and no legit star as a 2nd or 3rd option. If you want to throw the "there will be ego issues" card just look at the 2006 Miami Heat. Nuff said. If this team can stay healthy and play team ball, they will win the east.

And, the Mavericks made it to the NBA Finals with a team full of chokers. It happens.

If ifs and buts were spliffs and blunts, we'd all be high off that Celtic green.

Sure, the Celtics can make it to the Finals if everything goes right for them. Same thing can be said of a handful of other teams in the east as well.

[lefty]

TrueHoop reader Sadaqat: "Ironically, Boston needs some youth. And I hate what they are doing. Mortgaging everything for a le. If they do win one, it should have an asterisk. This wasn't a real team it was a bought team."

Why do some people think Boston is going to win a le ?

[mardigan]

Newsflash: any really good team can make it to the Finals if they play well at the right time, stay healthy, and they have some good breaks along the way.

Sorry, I will never, never consider that Cavs team a really good team.






Never

[Obstructed_View]

TrueHoop reader Sadaqat: "Ironically, Boston needs some youth. And I hate what they are doing. Mortgaging everything for a le. If they do win one, it should have an asterisk. This wasn't a real team it was a bought team."

Why do some people think Boston is going to win a le ?

Since the Marlins are the only team in pro sports I can think of that's ever had any success buying championships, I'm not sure why either.

[lefty]

Since the Marlins are the only team in pro sports I can think of that's ever had any success buying championships, I'm not sure why either.

[MONTENEGRINO]

Celtics in finals?
NO WAY. Remember that in may.
Allen will be injured this season, Pierce and KG will fight over 1st star status, then NO CHEMISTRY.

[barbacoataco]

One of the big questions to me is whether Ray Allen will be healthy/effective. If Allen returns to form, the Celtics should be in the hunt in the East. Their defense won't be that bad just because Garnett will be under the basket.

[mardigan]

Celtics in finals?
NO WAY. Remember that in may.
Allen will be injured this season, Pierce and KG will fight over 1st star status, then NO CHEMISTRY.

Why would that happen when it hasnt happened in the past when they played with other stars?

[JamStone]

Why would that happen when it hasnt happened in the past when they played with other stars?

What do you mean it hasn't happened in the past?

Stephon Marbury had problems playing second fiddle to KG, so did Wally.

Pierce has never had to play second fiddle to anyone, not even Antoine Walker. This will his first time he'll have to do that.

[mardigan]

What do you mean it hasn't happened in the past?

Stephon Marbury had problems playing second fiddle to KG, so did Wally.

Pierce has never had to play second fiddle to anyone, not even Antoine Walker. This will his first time he'll have to do that.

Marbury, yea, that was all KG. Meanwhile Marbury went on to have great team success, while KG, Cassell, and Spree didnt do .
And Walker took more shots than Pierce every year he was on the Celts except one year when he was hurt, so yea, I would call that second fiddle




Edit..Actually, another year Pierce took 38 more shots, so 2 years
And the one year Marbury and KG played together, Marbury took like 50 less shots, so whos fault is that really for getting upset? Still cant believe you brought up Starbury

[Strike]

KG vs Dirk
Howards vs Pierce
Jet vs Allen

Mavs vs Celts would be a great potiential finals matchup!

Still living in fantasy land?

[Strike]

Thank The Golden State Warriors for that!

[JamStone]

Marbury, yea, that was all KG. Meanwhile Marbury went on to have great team success, while KG, Cassell, and Spree didnt do .
And Walker took more shots than Pierce every year he was on the Celts except one year when he was hurt, so yea, I would call that second fiddle




Edit..Actually, another year Pierce took 38 more shots, so 2 years
And the one year Marbury and KG played together, Marbury took like 50 less shots, so whos fault is that really for getting upset? Still cant believe you brought up Starbury

Not once did I say it was all KG's fault. But, you said it had not happened in the past. Well, it did.

As for Walker taking more shots, that's fine. Taking more shots doesn't = having the first star status. Who is taking the shots in the fourth quarter? Who gets the ball when the other team makes a huge run? Who takes the shot out of a timeout? Taking more shots over the course of a season doesn't mean that person is the #1 star on the team.

Why wouldn't I have brought up Marbury?

You specifically stated: "Why would that happen when it hasnt happened in the past when they played with other stars?"

You're an idiot.

[Axl Van Dam]

Sorry, I will never, never consider that Cavs team a really good team.






Never

Couldn't agree with you more.

[Reggie Miller]

The Pistons are really interesting, becuase all of their rotation palyers are better than league average, but they don't have a truly dominant player on either end of the floor now. In other words, they all have to play very well to win a championship; no one player can carry the team when needed.

Detroit has proven that their formula works, but it is inherently risky. (In contrast, the Spurs system is lower in risk, becuase they have 2-4 players who can still take over a game as needed.) Some may argue that Detroit has players capable of doing this, but I would disagree, as none have done so consistently at this stage of their respective careers.

I'm not sure if they can maintain the necessary defensive intensity with Saunders as coach, either. (I am NOT a Larry Brown fan, by the way.)

[mardigan]

Not once did I say it was all KG's fault. But, you said it had not happened in the past. Well, it did.

As for Walker taking more shots, that's fine. Taking more shots doesn't = having the first star status. Who is taking the shots in the fourth quarter? Who gets the ball when the other team makes a huge run? Who takes the shot out of a timeout? Taking more shots over the course of a season doesn't mean that person is the #1 star on the team.

Why wouldn't I have brought up Marbury?

You specifically stated: "Why would that happen when it hasnt happened in the past when they played with other stars?"

You're an idiot.

He says "KG and Pierce will fight for first star status"
I say "Its never happened before"
You say "Marbury", and try to throw out insults
I say "So Marbury having the problem means KG had the problem?"
Answer, no. KG has never had a problem, Marbury had it. So why does that mean he will have a problem in the future? The only time he ever played with players close to this caliber, he averaged 5 assist a game. Again, marbury having a problem=KG having a problem?


And btw, if taking more shots doesnt make you the main guy, what does?