If The Celtics Want To Win Now ... A Simple Solution.

[IcyPatriot]

The biggest problem for the Celtics is rebounding and defense. Iverson won't do anything to change that...getting Iverson is simply a bandaid...probably a 1-year bandaid at that.

Anyways...the biggest problem we have IMO is at the 2 spot...this is where we are getting killed. We have no #2 right now other than Gerald Green that will light it up as a #2...as he matures, he will make a much better small forward.

Here's my lineup .... based on a healthy team of course.

Center: Perkins backed up by Olawakandi

PF: Jefferson backed up by Scalabrine.

SF: Gomes and Green split duty for the year.

SG: Pierce backed up by Wally/Allen depending on defensive need.

PG: Telfair backed up by Rondo

Perk, Jeffereson and Gomes gives you plenty of size down low to pound most teams. The main problem we have is that our SF...Pierce, takes too many perimeter shots to help on the boards.

When the Celtics were winning their rings ... we had SG's like ML and DJ helping with the board total....we get very little from Wally, West...etc.

Anyways...doubt Doc would do it...but if he wants to win and keep the kids...this is the way to go. If they need to trade...then trade West and Telfair for a decent 6th man. No trading of Pierce, Rondo, Green and Big Al.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Missed a few items in the above post. Doc?Ainge want to be a running team...a major problem with this is Pierce himself. When he rebounds the ball he keeps it and walks it up...putting the Celtics in a 1/2 court game.

With only 2 big guys down low ... 1 1/2 when Gomes is in ... the 1/2 court game struggles due to 2nd shot opportunities. With Pierce playing the 2 ... you get your big guys down low ... 2 of them and a Gomes or Green complementing them also....greatly increasing 2nd shot scoring.

 

[BradyManny]

Like I said in another thread, I'm just in a total state of confusion as to what the C's can do to become a legitimate contender again. I'm glad I'm not GM.

I'm all in favor of the lineup you've stated. though ultimately I thnk we have a different lineup if all goes well (see below). I'm in favor of any lineup that brings Wally off the bench b/c a) he's too slow on D b) scoring off the bench is needed.

Frankly, Wally is a detriment to this team b/c he's stunting Gerald Green's growth.

Everyonce in a while I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel - and it looks like this:

PG - Telfair (or Rondo)
SG - Pierce
SF - Green
PF - Jefferson
C - Perkins

If Green and Big Al develop into real stars, that team competes. The bad news is, their contracts are up in 2 and 3 years respectively, Pierce's prime ends shortly after that, so that basically gives us a short window to become a good enough team to make those guys want to stick around on our team under the scenario that they become stars.

I disagree about Pierce taking too many shots too help out with boards - plenty of teams have had great perimeter threats at small forward - just look at Scottie Pippen. When I look at Gerald Green, that's exactly the vision that comes to mind. Tall, atheletic, lanky, quick. Granted, it's a long shot Green ever becomes half as good as Pippen was, but that's really my ideal image of who I hope Green becomes.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Everyonce in a while I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel - and it looks like this:

PG - Telfair (or Rondo)
SG - Pierce
SF - Green
PF - Jefferson
C - Perkins

.

Good post ... we have the same vision of Wally. I don't see him being usefull at all...I'd rather see Green in there. Also...Big Al for all practical purposes is a better center than Perk.

Our problem IMO sice Pierce/Walker was her is that we don't have a real PF...in crunch time that has killed us. So now we have Big Al ... but he can only play C or PF ...

As much tinkering as Ainge has done ... this problem persists. If only Gomes was a little bigger...and maybe he will get bigger. Wes Unseld was a great center and only 6' 8"... it's not perfect....but Gomes and/or Green would be great 6th men on the team.

 

[Johnny Mac]

Blow it up. Tank the season, fire Doc, fire Ainge, sell the team to someone else. Draft Oden.

That's the only way this team is winning any time in the near future.

 

[PonyExpress]

Jefferson is emerging into what we thought he would be before his injury ravaged second season, a 20/10 center/pf. Teams with 20/10 big men WIN. In would be the height of folly to "blow it up" or any such thing. This team is on the verge of big things. If the team can acquire Iverson without giving up Gomes and Jefferson, I would make the deal. A team starting Iverson, Allen, Pierce, Gomes, and Jefferson, with Wally and Perkins coming off the bench, while defensively challenged, will be as solid as any in the Eastern conference.

 

[Johnny Mac]

They won't get Iverson because they don't want to pay for him. It'll be another season of making the playoffs, getting knocked out in the first round, and being stuck with the 16th pick. Awesome.

 

[BradyManny]

As much tinkering as Ainge has done ... this problem persists. If only Gomes was a little bigger...and maybe he will get bigger. Wes Unseld was a great center and only 6' 8"... it's not perfect....but Gomes and/or Green would be great 6th men on the team.

This is rehash of what I just said in another thread, but...I see Big Al simply being more productive at center. Ideally, if Big Al was your PF and Perk was your Center, you'd be in better shape defensively, but I think Big Al is enjoying a) being guarded by center's much slower than him b) being the big man in a small lineup, the lane is always clear for him to work in.

Still, if Perk comes back and Big Al is successful as your PF, that's perfect. I completely agree with your consensus of Gomes - the guy's great, I love everything about him, but for some reason I just don't see him as a starting power forward on a contending team.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

Wally is the best shooter on the team. He needs to be out there with Pierce, not backing him up. He isn't yet enough of a stiff where he should be relegated to being a shooter off the bench. Even if you think he's toast you need to keep up the charade that he's still a starter so that the Knicks will trade for him.

As for Jefferson/Green, when did the 3 year rule for high school kids disappear? Kids straight out of high school cannot be judged until their 3rd year. Any team drafting a kid straight out of high school should expect nothing the first two years. There was so much talk about Big Al failing to live up to promise last year, and there is talk of Green needing to step up this year. Did people see LeBron succeed right away and think that this was no longer the case? Isn't LeBron just an exception to the rule?

Tanking it for a draftee doesn't work in the NBA when your luck sucks. If it did work we wouldn't be discussing any of this because we'd have Duncan on the team.

The team is simply too young. Jefferson, Perkins, Green, Gomes, Allen, West, Telfair, and Rondo are all still developing. When your 3rd best veteran is Brian Scalabrine you have no hope.

 

[BradyManny]

Wally is the best shooter on the team. He needs to be out there with Pierce, not backing him up. He isn't yet enough of a stiff where he should be relegated to being a shooter off the bench. Even if you think he's toast you need to keep up the charade that he's still a starter so that the Knicks will trade for him.

LOL. While I disagree with you about Wally, that is funny and true.

My feelings on Wally are that the team has much better chemistry and defense without him in the lineup. Plus, while he is a great shooter, he's too streaky for my liking - I know it's probably the knee taking the arc out of his shot, but he isn't afraid of throwing up repeated line drive bricks.

As for Jefferson/Green, when did the 3 year rule for high school kids disappear? Kids straight out of high school cannot be judged until their 3rd year. Any team drafting a kid straight out of high school should expect nothing the first two years.

Dwight Howard, Kobe, Lebron, Garnett, Amare all started contributing in their first or second year. The only high school player off the top of my head I can think of that really took time to develop was Jermaine O'Neal. For Big Al, I think it's just a matter of health and PT - now that he's healthy, we're seeing what he can do.

Tanking it for a draftee doesn't work in the NBA when your luck sucks. If it did work we wouldn't be discussing any of this because we'd have Duncan on the team.

Oh, man, the F-ing Duncan draft....

 

[IcyPatriot]

Wally is the best shooter on the team. He needs to be out there with Pierce, not backing him up. He isn't yet enough of a stiff where he should be relegated to being a shooter off the bench. Even if you think he's toast you need to keep up the charade that he's still a starter so that the Knicks will trade for him.
.

Yeah ... gone are the days the Clippers would trade for that...only the Knicks are left. The Knicks could use a few choir boys on the team right now...Wally looks like a choir boy.

 

[JAYHAWKS34]

The biggest problem for the Celtics is rebounding and defense. Iverson won't do anything to change that...getting Iverson is simply a bandaid...probably a 1-year bandaid at that.

Anyways...the biggest problem we have IMO is at the 2 spot...this is where we are getting killed. We have no #2 right now other than Gerald Green that will light it up as a #2...as he matures, he will make a much better small forward.

Here's my lineup .... based on a healthy team of course.

Center: Perkins backed up by Olawakandi

PF: Jefferson backed up by Scalabrine.

SF: Gomes and Green split duty for the year.

SG: Pierce backed up by Wally/Allen depending on defensive need.

PG: Telfair backed up by Rondo

Perk, Jeffereson and Gomes gives you plenty of size down low to pound most teams. The main problem we have is that our SF...Pierce, takes too many perimeter shots to help on the boards.

When the Celtics were winning their rings ... we had SG's like ML and DJ helping with the board total....we get very little from Wally, West...etc.

Anyways...doubt Doc would do it...but if he wants to win and keep the kids...this is the way to go. If they need to trade...then trade West and Telfair for a decent 6th man. No trading of Pierce, Rondo, Green and Big Al.

don't you love reading these old post's, gotta love what we were a few years ago to what we have become

 

[IcyPatriot]

don't you love reading these old post's, gotta love what we were a few years ago to what we have become

:banned: