3 Scottie Pippens / "IT" / Cornbread

[SShoreFan]

Scottie Pippen was great.  He's a Hall of Famer who put up great numbers - but he's no Michael Jordan.  Micheal Jordan was a superstar.  Kevin McHale was great.  He's a HOF who put up great numbers - but he's no Larry Bird.  Larry Bird was a superstar.

The area between great and superstar is blurry, grey and hard to define, but there's a huge gap between the two.  With all respect to Cornbread Maxwell's belief that KG is better than Larry Bird- I think the Celtics have three Hall of Famers on the team who are great, but no superstars.

Superstars have "IT".  We all know "IT", we all know that very few have "IT".  Watching the trio of KG, PP & Ray Allen has been an amazing experience this year, but I have come to the conclusion, none of them have "IT".  None of them are superstars, all three of them are on par with Scottie Pippen.

I think Pierce tries to have "IT" on the court, but he's just too sporadic and the results are mixed at best - and history has shown us, he's uncomfortable with the leadership role when the game stops.

Garnett has shown "IT" off the court, but on the court - as great as he is - he doesn't have "IT".  He hasn't shown the stretches where he takes over the game, playing in another zone, creating an aura where his team jumps on his back and the other team can do nothing but shake their head and say "[dang]".  Too many extra passes, to many moments of almost being there, but not making it.

Allen's shot is as pure as it gets.  An amazing teammate with an incredible work ethic and sense for the game -- but definitely doesn't have "IT".

A superstar takes control and shows leadership -- none of these three have done that.  None.

Cedric Maxwell has said all year that he thinks KG is better than Larry Bird.  Cedric, I am sorry but you are better than KG and by that I mean it was you who told your teammates in 1984 "Climb on my back boys" in game 7 against the Lakers and then went on to score 24 and win game 7.  I don't see any of these three players being able to show the leadership that you exhibited in 1984, and I am sure you'll agree with me - you are no Larry Bird, so if these guys are no Cedric Maxwell, then they sure as hell are not on par with Bird.

Scottie Pippen was great, but he was never going to deliver a championship with his level of play.

Here's hoping for a win tomorrow - but let's face it, will any of us feel great about it?

[wdleehi]

It is time for the Celtics to decide who is going to be the man. 


Sharing is great for most the game. 



Someone has to lead in the 4th. 

[Redz]

So you're sayin' they're not walking through that door?


Bird could put the team on his shoulders and come through at the biggest moments or he could be the ultimate team player when needed.  Jordan was the ultimate combo of super talented and super competitive. 

[cdif911]

from day 1, Pierce has been the guy to shoulder the load - its tough when you have 2 superstars around you, but its agreed he needs to carry the team in the 4th, which is why his foul trouble hurt us so much last night

[SShoreFan]

from day 1, Pierce has been the guy to shoulder the load - its tough when you have 2 superstars around you, but its agreed he needs to carry the team in the 4th, which is why his foul trouble hurt us so much last night

In many ways Pierce reminds me of Bledsoe in the sense that they both have amazing talent and want to step up and show that they have "IT" when the game is on the line, but Pierce is more often miss than hit much like Bledsoe was more often INT than TD. 

[Who]

It'll be Pierce or it'll be no-one

[Redz]

from day 1, Pierce has been the guy to shoulder the load - its tough when you have 2 superstars around you, but its agreed he needs to carry the team in the 4th, which is why his foul trouble hurt us so much last night

In many ways Pierce reminds me of Bledsoe in the sense that they both have amazing talent and want to step up and show that they have "IT" when the game is on the line, but Pierce is more often miss than hit much like Bledsoe was more often INT than TD. 

Someone break his ribs...Maybe we have a Tom Brady on our bench!

[SShoreFan]

Scottie Pippen was great.  He's a Hall of Famer who put up great numbers - but he's no Michael Jordan.  Micheal Jordan was a superstar.  Kevin McHale was great.  He's a HOF who put up great numbers - but he's no Larry Bird.  Larry Bird was a superstar.

The area between great and superstar is blurry, grey and hard to define, but there's a huge gap between the two.  With all respect to Cornbread Maxwell's belief that KG is better than Larry Bird- I think the Celtics have three Hall of Famers on the team who are great, but no superstars.

Superstars have "IT".  We all know "IT", we all know that very few have "IT".  Watching the trio of KG, PP & Ray Allen has been an amazing experience this year, but I have come to the conclusion, none of them have "IT".  None of them are superstars, all three of them are on par with Scottie Pippen.

I think Pierce tries to have "IT" on the court, but he's just too sporadic and the results are mixed at best - and history has shown us, he's uncomfortable with the leadership role when the game stops.

Garnett has shown "IT" off the court, but on the court - as great as he is - he doesn't have "IT".  He hasn't shown the stretches where he takes over the game, playing in another zone, creating an aura where his team jumps on his back and the other team can do nothing but shake their head and say "[dang]".  Too many extra passes, to many moments of almost being there, but not making it.

Allen's shot is as pure as it gets.  An amazing teammate with an incredible work ethic and sense for the game -- but definitely doesn't have "IT".

A superstar takes control and shows leadership -- none of these three have done that.  None.

Cedric Maxwell has said all year that he thinks KG is better than Larry Bird.  Cedric, I am sorry but you are better than KG and by that I mean it was you who told your teammates in 1984 "Climb on my back boys" in game 7 against the Lakers and then went on to score 24 and win game 7.  I don't see any of these three players being able to show the leadership that you exhibited in 1984, and I am sure you'll agree with me - you are no Larry Bird, so if these guys are no Cedric Maxwell, then they sure as hell are not on par with Bird.

Scottie Pippen was great, but he was never going to deliver a championship with his level of play.

Here's hoping for a win tomorrow - but let's face it, will any of us feel great about it?

I posted this on May 3rd.  I still stand by it, with the exception that KG has shown my a bit more, but Pierce and Allen have totally disappointed me. 

Pierce was horrible last night on the offensive end, horrible.  He's actually (IMHO) a liability due to his recklessness.

[Michael Anthony]

IT can be simply defined as unstopability.

Nobody could stop Jordan - he was physically superior.
Nobody could stop Bird - he was 6'9" with a very high release.
Nobody could stop Shaq - he was to big.
Nobody could stop Isiah - he was to fast.

James is Pierce's physical superior, Allen cannot get his shot off, and Ilgauskus is bigger then Garnett.

Rondo is the only guy on our roster with unstopability potential.

[West Coast Fan]

Overall I tend to agree with you that neither Pierce or Garnett seem to quite have "it" compared to other great superstars of the past, like Jordan, Bird, Magic, etc.  And for the most part if you look at past championship teams they almost all had that type of player...you could probably add Duncan, Hakeem, Shaq to that list.  Then you had teams like the Jazz in the mid 90's who were very close with Malone and Stockton but never won a championship.  The only exception to this that I can think of since the 80's would be the Detroit team that beat the Lakers with Shaq and Kobe.  They lacked the superstar with the quality you are taking about but they won with great teamwork both on the defensive end as well as sharing the ball on offense.  So it will be interesting to see if the Celtics can win it all.  Both Pierce and Garnett have shown flashes of having "it" but have lacked the consistency of being able to bring "it" night in and night out.  

[earl]

"Unstoppability" is important, but those guys _knew_ and displayed it at the critical points in the biggest games. That is the IT factor.. When a game is close and Jordan just says you know what, I can post you up and fall away 13 times in a row, and you can't do a [dang] thing about it. So just sit back and watch while I win this game.

[vinnie]

I hate to say this, but Kope has "IT."  He definitely is the best player in the NBA right now -- and having Gasol next to him (thanks Mr. Wallace) certainly does not hurn.