CelticsStrong
Around the League => Around the NBA => Topic started by: celticinorlando on January 29, 2013, 11:20:29 AM
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Went back to thinking about injuries/health issues and how they have crippled the Celtics' chances to have 20 plus titles:
-Len Bias...add him to the Bird teams in 87, 88...Boston gets at least one more there...and I still think Jordan wouldn't have been as big as he was if Bias hadn't died. I don't see the Bulls dominating like they did if Bias hadn't died.
-Reggie Lewis...another key member going forward from Bird that never had a chance to realize potential
-Bird himself...the back, the bone spurs cost Boston in the end. Took some life off his career.
-KG's knee 2009... I am fully convinced if he had been healthy they win a second title there with the Big 3
-Perk's injury that kept him out of game 7 vs LA. He plays...Boston wins IMO...could have been 3 straight for the Big 3 era
-Rondo's elbow vs the Heat...changed the entire series. Game 5 showed that he just couldn't perform
-Bradley's shoulder, PP sprained knee and Ray's ankle vs the Heat last season. IF just Bradley plays..Boston wins that series. He was a huge defensive cog vs the Heat
-Rondo's blown knee...Now I don't think this team wins a title with or without Rondo....but it is frustrating to see him get hurt
I know all teams have injury issues (Bulls last year with Rose) but it just feels like
Boston has had a lot
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You are missing McHale's broken foot in 1987 that kept him from becoming one of the two or three best players in the NBA from 1987 until his retirement.
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Oh yeah, This window ('07-present) has been full of what-if scenarios. You could make a pretty compelling arguement that this team should've 3 Peated if not for injuries.
It's pretty sad but its also been an enjoyable ride. I wouldn't give up anything for 2008.
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This is all true, however every team in every sport encounters injuries. That's the nature of the beast.
I am willing to bet every losing team in every NBA finals feels the same way.
What burns me most to this day is the corrupt, I mean horrible officiating during the Lakers finals in 2010 and in game 2 of the ECF last year.
Celtics lost game 2 last year due to officiating. If they won that game, they win the series >:(
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Ray Allen playing on bad ankles, Pierce with bad knees, Tony Allen on a year when we needed him as he was the only one capable of playing back-up SF minutes also injured.
Powe with the ACL on the year KG was out for the season, and Scal with the concussion...
Shaq and Krstic injured for the playoffs...
Green and Wilcox out for a season, could've used them both last year.
Etc., etc.
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I agree with those who say every team encounters injuries, but not every team encounters as many severe injuries as the KG-era Cs.
Rose's injury last year was the only season-altering injury these Bulls have had to work around.
Thunder: none
Heat: none
Cavs (with LeBron): none
Lakers are the only team that's come close to us in this regard—Bynum a couple times, and I guess you could argue for Howard this season (he's far from 100%).
So yes, OP, you are right about the Cs having an awful dose of bad luck with injuries over the last 30 years, particularly when you consider the two deaths.
Oh, and I just remembered: Green missing all of last season with the heart problem, and Wilcox missing most of the season for the same reason.
It would be really sweet if the next great Celtics era (please come soon!) was mostly free of this crap.
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San Antonio seems to always be limping too.
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Portland has been snake bitten as well. Roy, Oden, Miles, Bowie to name a few.
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We have KG in '09, no way we lose. Weren't we something like 27-2 at one point. Such a shame.
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I think fans of every team tend to think their team is unlucky.
The Celtics have had their fair share of tragedies and bad luck, but many teams have had worse.
The Clippers certainly claim that title. Trailblazers fans obviously have no sympathy whatsoever for us. Rockets fans probably don't care to hear about our troubles, either.
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We have KG in '09, no way we lose. Weren't we something like 27-2 at one point. Such a shame.
Yes but the Lakers had smacked us around in both games that year if I recall correctly. They looked better then us.
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We have KG in '09, no way we lose. Weren't we something like 27-2 at one point. Such a shame.
Yes but the Lakers had smacked us around in both games that year if I recall correctly. They looked better then us.
I don't know about "smacked around". They beat us by one point in OT in the second game, and the first game was tied with three minutes left.
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2010 games 3 and 7 in the finals still eat at me
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Don't forget Hondo's shoulder in 1973.