Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

Tickets go on sale at 1 o clock today, so I figured now would be a good time to start the thread.

I am very, very excited about the upcoming season. Then again, I always am very, very excited about Celtics season. I loosely follow the Patriots and UMass basketball, but the Celtics are an absolute obsession for me.

I went to Vegas to see non-roster scrubs play glorified pickup games. I read wayyyy too many rumor mill articles in May, June, and July. I get excited about the signing of players like Brandon Wallace and Jackie Manuel, frantically researching their basketball history.

This year is a weird feeling. For the first time in living memory, the Celtics are going into the season with expectations of making the NBA Finals. They have a legitimate franchise superstar in KG, and two all-star wing scorers in PP and Ray Allen.

Beyond the big three, I'm looking primarily at Rondo, Perkins, Posey, and TA to be the primary minute earners.

My concerns about the upcoming season

- Health of everyone, especially TA. There were several games before his injury where he was easily the best player on the floor. This includes a game last year that he harassed new teammate Ray Allen to a 15 point, 7 of 20 shooting, 5 turnover game, while scoring 23 points himself. He has been cleared to play, and is currently at "70 percent," whatever that means.
- Rajon Rondo is being praised by every basketball stat nerd, but he played MANY of his minutes during garbage time. Will he fare as well against Chris Paul, Baron Davis, and Jason Kidd as he did against that 14 year old looking kid on the Heat?
- Kendrick Perkins regressed from his '05-'06 form last year. He played injured, and I look for him to be at 7 boards, 1.5 blocks, and playing good D alongside KG.

I love the Celtics, and will be that guy watching pre-season games over Red Sox World Series games, or Patriots Monday Night Football, or anything else. Bring on the season, and banner 17.

GO CELTICS

Re: Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

Gowe Gowe Leon Powe!

Re: Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

I watch an average of 3-4 college games a night (dual tuner Tivo ftw) and I'm still probably going to buy the NBA package this year because of this Celts team. My main concern is whether I can stand a full season of watching Doc Rivers "coach."

It's great to have a Celtics team to get this excited about. We gave up a lot in the Garnett trade (Jefferson is a stud, of course, and I hate to see Gomes -- my favorite Celtic since DJ -- go), but I'm just glad we're taking the opportunity to win a chip when we have it.

What I like about this team outside of the Big Three is that the supporting cast is fairly strong defensively. If Rondo and Posey and T. Allen have deficiencies, they are mostly on the offensive end. That's much less of a problem now than it was when we just had Pierce and Jefferson as offensive weapons. It's a good balance.

Already have January 12 and April 9 on my calendar, as that's when the C's come in to play the Wizards.

-McGee

Re: Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

Wow, it's unbelievably unreal how things have turned around since that nightmare day when we lost the Lottery. Even without factoring in Oden's injury, it could be argued that the Celts are better off now than if they had won the first pick.

My one concern: Health, if we stay healthy it's going to be one helluva year.

Re: Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

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Even without factoring in Oden's injury, it could be argued that the Celts are better off now than if they had won the first pick.


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Re: Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

Clark,

Let's not get into this debate. It's been done. You think the Cs got raped on the trade, we think the shot at a title is worth it. blah blah blah.

edit: I just woke up. It's not the same debate. Anyway, let's still not have it.

All,

Don't get your hopes up about Tony Allen. I think he's going to suck realll bad this season. He probably shouldn't even play until February.

Re: Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

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Even without factoring in Oden's injury, it could be argued that the Celts are better off now than if they had won the first pick.


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I know you think the Celts gave away too much so I'm not going to argue about it. We'll revisit in one year and see if you still feel the same.

Re: Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

I'm not really talking about the KG trade as much as the healthy Oden part. I find it hard to think that healthy Oden + AlJef + Gerald Green + Gomes + 1st round pick + Wally + expiring contract is actually <<<< Allen + KG.

I would hazard a guess that at the time of the draft, Minny would've traded KG for Oden straight up. But, that's obviously pure conjecture.

Re: Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

yeah, I realized that's what you meant after I posted. I agree with you in that case.

Last night I almost jumped the gun on this thread even though I figured GKA should start it. It's because I read this at CelticsBlog. Best part:

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Mike Gorman capped off the event with a story about recently driving up to the statehouse and getting impatient, passing a line of cars, waiting to make a right turn, going up Beacon street. As he pulled out, a state trooper stepped off the sidewalk and motioned for Mike to stop. When he rolled down his window, anticipating a ticket or a reprimand at best, the trooper said: "Mike what do you need?"

Mike's punchline: "We're back!" was met with a room full of knowing laughter, as the realization hit home, that the dramatic turnaround in the public perception of the Celtics has happened almost overnight.

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Re: Boston Celtics \'07-\'08 Banner 17 Thread
 

I love this team on paper but our biggest problem as any true Celtic fan knows is Doc Rivers.

Will Doc run our big 3 into the ground by playing them heavy minutes? Most likely

Will Doc do some stupid subs at the end of the game such as going small and putting Pierce at PF on DEFENSE? Most likely

Will Doc win coach of the year even though anyone with half a brain knows he is one of, if not the worst coach in the entire NBA? Most likely as I puke of the thought

Will Doc cost us our shot at a championship this year? I hate to say it, but most likely.

[censored] Doc Rivers I hate you.

EDIT: There are a ton of other thing's Doc will do to screw up this team, I am just too lazy to list them all.