Official Boston Celtics Season Thread vol. Banner 18 or Bust

[the pga tour]

The team is looking really strong right now, but it's still pre-season. The question won't be how they start the season but how the finish.

Will Doc give up a few wins in the regular season in favor of rest for the playoffs or will they push for the Bulls record?

Many questions for this season, and hopefully they all answer for Banner 18.

 

[sohi 23]

the PGA tour wrote: Will Doc give up a few wins in the regular season in favor of rest for the playoffs or will they push for the Bulls record? .

72 tho? I don't see it.

 

[JD617]

The season can't start soon enough.

They're not winning 72 though.

 

[the pga tour]

I know they're not winning that regardless... But it's already been stated it's a goal.

 

[cedric ceballos 1995 lakers]

good luck on the season, that is until the finals when hopefully the lakers play them.

hopefully the celtics stay healthy all season long though.

 

[scuse7]

Originally Posted by SoHi 23

the PGA tour wrote: Will Doc give up a few wins in the regular season in favor of rest for the playoffs or will they push for the Bulls record? .

72 tho? I don't see it.
Yea I hope we don't slip into thinking we need to go for this. I want guys rested and younger guys getting time.I still want homecourt, butneed to make sure the bench gets enough experience so they're ready come playoffs.

Rondo is going to be huge. He is the X factor along with KG coming back from the injury.

Most of the team is still intact, kept Baby and Eddie. Love the Daniels signing, will only help the bench.

Can't Waittttt

 

[DownByLaw]

As long as they win the championship I am good, hopefully it comes at the Lakers expense too

 

[JD617]

I know the preseason is pretty much meaningless, but I liked seeing Rondo ask Doc to stay in the game with the reserves, then take over the game and get the Wlast night.

He's noticably stronger in the chest/arms this year. His shooting still looks iffy though so far.

 

[koolbarbone]

I'll be happy if everyone enters the playoffs healthy.

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by koolbarbone

I'll be happy if everyone enters the playoffs healthy.

That's really all that matters. All these "statement" wins in the regular season mean nothin, word to the no hand shakin fools out in Ohio. Chumps.

 

[jordan vs magic]

Magic or Cavs will win the East..

*Kanye Shrug*

..Go Lakers

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

if the team stays healthy its a wrap for the rest of the league.

I think everybody knows that.

I don't.

And I'm pretty smart.

 

[Girl Thats Jules]

if the team stays healthy its a wrap for the rest of the league.

I think everybody knows that.

 

[fuser86]

Lakers got the back to back on lock. We all know that!!!

 

[cedric ceballos 1995 lakers]

lol at all the laker talk in here. its the celtics season thread, let them have their thread to preach their pro celtic agenda because i know most of us lakerfans will go straight ape doo doo if they start posting the laker thread talkin about how they gon win the championship this year

 

[bangtcg]

As long as KG keeps running his mouth and does his shtick, I will be watching. His swagger always stays

 

[18th letter]

 

[do be doo]

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

if the team stays healthy its a wrap for the rest of the league.

I think everybody knows that.

 

[never seen b4]

Do Be Doo, that pic is getting old (like your squad). Get some new material my dude.

@ Lakers fans in this thread talking sideways and you wonder why youguys are the most hated fans on nt.

 

[Girl Thats Jules]

Originally Posted by Do Be Doo

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

if the team stays healthy its a wrap for the rest of the league.

I think everybody knows that.

http://cache.deadspin.com...2007/04/DuncanTossed.jpg src="http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/resources/2007/04/DuncanTossed.jpg">

spurs are over.

yall wont be winning another title for a long time

 

[do be doo]

Originally Posted by Never Seen B4

Do Be Doo, that pic is getting old (like your squad). Get some new material my dude.

2nd time I have posted that pic....

 

[al3xis]

mannn, mike never lost his touch or footwork...that last fallaway off glass was beautiful.

i know tommy said he thinks he'll make it and since mchale hes with al jeff as the best post player hes seen..but what are the chances really?

 

[Girl Thats Jules]

[h1]With Garnett back, Celtics ready to make some noise[/h1]
By Fran Blinebury, for NBA.com
Posted Oct 14 2009 9:25AM

You can tell he's back from the way the ball seems to move quicker around the floor in the offense than it did last spring in the Playoffs.

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You can tell he's back from the way the defense is hungrier, more alive, more frantic, more urgent almost every time down the floor.

You can tell he's back from the raised decibels -- on the court, in the locker, walking to the bus --- anywhere when more than a couple of Celtics come together.

"Oh, with Rasheed [Wallace] here now, I'm only the second-loudest guy on the team," protests Kevin Garnett.

While the matter of the volume level may be open for debate, what's not is Boston's ability to roar back into the 2010 NBA championship conversation because the Big Megaphone is back in the lineup.

"Kevin always makes his presence felt," said teammate Glen Davis. "You always know where he is."

Of course, last spring Garnett was on the bench, sidelined by a balky right knee that limited him to just 57 games on the season, the fewest he'd played in a decade.

Without him, the Celtics still had enough in the splendid performance of Rajon Rondo and the late-game heroics of Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to outlast the upstart Chicago Bulls through all of the drama and all of the overtimes in their instant classic first-round playoff series.

Yet without him, the Celtics eventually could not apply enough defensive pressure to prevent Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis from scoring big hoops and fell to the Orlando Magic in the second round, ending the defense of their title.

So it was with great anticipation that Garnett stepped onto the court for first time in a game since his May surgery to remove a bone spur behind his right knee in the Celtics' preseason opener against the Houston Rockets in Hidalgo, Tx..

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[/td] [td]'Sheed Happens
The Celtics needed a proven scorer and a dependable veteran presence on their bench and got him in Rasheed Wallace. Read more ...[/td] [/tr][tr][td]

[/td] [td]KG Healthy, Hungry
After knee surgery and the more painful experience of having to watch the playoffs from the bench, Kevin Garnett is ready again. Read more...[/td] [/tr][tr][td]

[/td] [td]Oh, Baby, Baby
It seems like he flirted with at least half the teams in the league, but "Big Baby" Davis signed a new deal in Boston. Read more...[/td] [/tr][/table][/td] [/tr][/table]

"It felt good, Garnett said. "I thought I ran well. Sprint-wise, it ain't where I want to be. But you know, when you've got a '76 Mustang, you've got to warm it back up.

"It's progress. This is not gonna be something that's gonna change overnight. One of those things I'm gonna have to continue to work with, a continuation of progress.

"It just felt great to be out there. I looked at my jersey before I put it on. It's one of those small things --- you never take things for granted. I'm just real fortunate for my opportunity.

"It felt good to have the Celtic jersey on...There's a lot of pride with it. I know the responsibility that comes with it and just trying to carry on the tradition with that."

The game was barely 15 seconds old when Garnett took a pass from Rondo, pulled up at the top of the key and drilled a 22-foot jumper, and in less than two minutes he was getting to the boards for rebounds and jumping into the passing lane to make a steal.

But it was five minutes when Garnett got his first confirmation that he was back, even if he did miss the shot. The Celtics had come down the floor in transition and Rondo, running down the left side, spotted Garnett going baseline on the right and tossed him a lob pass.

Garnett leapt high to try to spike the ball home with his right hand, but was fouled by Houston's Brian Cook and couldn't quite get the shot over the rim to finish the dunk.

"I told him he's a couple of weeks away from making it," said a smiling Pierce.

Garnett, however, was smiling because he simply reacted on the play. There was no hesitation, no holding back as he went up. He took the hit from Cook and felt no pain in the knee.

The truth is, Garnett had questions in his own mind until he put the rehab and the drills behind him and just played. As odd as it may seem, he is no longer the teenaged phenom who bounced into the NBA in 1995. He's 33 now, entering his 15th season, and it is his presence that lifts the Celtics from playoff contenders to championship caliber.

"It brings a lot," said Coach Doc Rivers. "Offensively, he helps us with ball movement because he's so unselfish, sometimes to a fault. I've always said that's contagious. So when he does it, it's tough for everybody else not to do it.

"Defensively, he's so verbal and he's so versatile that it allows us to do things defensively that we couldn't do in the playoffs and down the stretch at the end of the season.

"Then when you're doing something wrong, he can verbally talk you out of it on the floor. Without KG, I thought Perk (Kendrick Perkins) at times was stuck on an island last year."

Before the knee problem first flared up on Garnett against the Lakers on Feb. 5, the Celtics were 41-9 (.820), just ahead LA and Cleveland with the best record in the league. From that point on, they were 21-11 (.656).

Now, with their loudest --- or second-loudest --- voice back on the floor, the Celtics appear ready to make loud noise again.

"Look, we didn't win the championship last year, we didn't even make The Finals," said Davis. "No excuses. We didn't earn it. But now with Kevin back, we're ourselves again."
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1. THE FIRE DOWN BELOW
With the return of Kevin Garnett to their lineup, the Celtics get defense, clutch scoring and the fire back in their bellies.

2. WALLACE WALLOP
Assuming Rasheed Wallace fits right into the picture, he'll give the former champs bench scoring and another player with attitude.

3. HELP ME, RONDO
After his bust-out performances last spring in the playoffs, Rajon Rondo shows he no longer has to play a supporting role.

-- Fran Blinebury
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[CP1708]

Why does that article say KG's knee acted up against us? He hurt it vs Utah on a lob.

 

[finnns2003]

I'm super pumped for the season. Dusted off (not really) the ol' Celtics hoody, ready for big things this season.