what or who really made the difference ?

[micah kenneth]

My question is could we have won the East and the Championship with Al Jefferson and Tom Tibedeau our defensive coach without having made the trade for KG ? Al's numbers were better in points and rebounding and Jefferson is no slouch on defense though he's not KG.
I honestly believe that Tom Tibedeau made the biggest difference along with KG but I wonder if Ton and Al Jefferson could've had the same results.
Al is a bit more effective offensively and more a consistent rebounder and is on par with KG in turns of blocking shots !
Al isn't nearly as demonstrative and KG nor so outspoken, he doesn't seem to have the leadership qualities of KG but do you think the results would've been the same with Jefferson and not KG ?
Keeping in mind that Tom Tibedeau was a key factor in most of the C's wins with his defensive strategy

[CoachBo]

No.

Jefferson is a below-average defender who doesn't work hard on the defensive end. You don't win a title with his game at the level it's at right now.

[JBcat]

KG was the defensive player of the year.   Al will never get close to that.  KG is a much better passer and I think the only reason his other numbers were lower than Al's is because KG was on a 66 win team and shared the ball with 2 other all stars and Al was the Wolves best player on a very bad team so of course is stats are a little inflated.  Keep in mind if we still had Al in place of KG we probably wouldn't have Posey, House, nor mid season pickups Cassell or Brown.  Telfair and Green (unless if we cut him like Houston did) would still be on the roster and I don't see us sniffing a championship even with Tom T.

[JSD]

My question is could we have won the East and the Championship with Al Jefferson and Tom Tibedeau our defensive coach without having made the trade for KG ? Al's numbers were better in points and rebounding and Jefferson is no slouch on defense though he's not KG.
I honestly believe that Tom Tibedeau made the biggest difference along with KG but I wonder if Ton and Al Jefferson could've had the same results.
Al is a bit more effective offensively and more a consistent rebounder and is on par with KG in turns of blocking shots !
Al isn't nearly as demonstrative and KG nor so outspoken, he doesn't seem to have the leadership qualities of KG but do you think the results would've been the same with Jefferson and not KG ?
Keeping in mind that Tom Tibedeau was a key factor in most of the C's wins with his defensive strategy

I really don’t think there is any question.

KG is a prototypical basketball player to add to a Paul pierce and a Ray Allen to push you over the top.

KG’s selfishness, intensity, defensive knowledge and ability to space the floor by facing up an opponent as a 16 – 19 were essential for this title and intangibles that Big Al has yet to develop.

[Who]

A team with Al instead of KG? Assuming the veteran role players like Posey, PJ and House still arrive. Yes it would definitely be a contender and would probably be the best team in the East. They'd still match up extremely well with LA which bodes well for a Finals victory. It would be a worse Celtics team and more vulnerable than with KG but I still like their chances. If it's without the veteran role players then no they would not win and would not be a legit contender but they'd be a good playoff team (win a series or two).

The single biggest upgrade on the squad was Wally to Ray.

The upgrade of the supporting cast was huge also.

[Jon]

Even with the veteran role players, this team isn't sniffing a title without KG.  Look at how close the Cleveland and Atlanta series were.  You take KG out of the equation, we're looking at a first or second round exit. 

KG changed the culture of the team.  As clever as Thibodeau is with his schemes, he couldn't have done it without KG literally willing his teammates to do what Thibodeau wanted. 

[nickagneta]

Every person involved with this franchise "picked up their game" and that is why ubuntu won the world title. No won person is most responsible.

KG was instrumental in changing the culture here. Pierce and Allen were the floor leaders and crunch time stars. Posey was a motivational king. Rondo's maturity is as rare as was the improvement in his game for a 21 to 22 year old starting PG, Perk transformed himself into KG Jr. on the defensive side mentally. Doc had an improved year and grew immenselyin the playoffs. Thibodeau was great at doing what Doc wasn't, teaching Doc's system to the players. Clifford Ray once again brought the young bigs another step forward in their development. Danny made the smart and necessary late season moves.

[crownsy]

no way in hell.

Al is not a sive defensively to be sure, but he isn't in the same area code as KG. never mind the leadership that KG brought.

[zerophase]

people keep comparing kg to russell in that he is not expected to lead his team to victory with points and scoring but rather was the emotional leader of the group. al is not that.

[BballTim]

Even with the veteran role players, this team isn't sniffing a title without KG.  Look at how close the Cleveland and Atlanta series were.  You take KG out of the equation, we're looking at a first or second round exit. 

KG changed the culture of the team.  As clever as Thibodeau is with his schemes, he couldn't have done it without KG literally willing his teammates to do what Thibodeau wanted. 

  Atlanta wouldn't have taken us to 7 games with Jefferson on the team instead of KG. We wouldn't have suffered through those offensive lulls. And Al's numbers weren't inflated in Minny. He would have put up better numbers here.

[Roy Hobbs]

No.

Jefferson is a below-average defender who doesn't work hard on the defensive end. You don't win a title with his game at the level it's at right now.

Agreed.  Al Jefferson is, in fact, a "slouch" on defense.  From the few Twolves games I watched, he seemed even worse this year in Minnesota than he was in Boston.  Opposing big men shot 56% against him this year, and he barely outrebounded the man he was guarding (surprisingly enough).

Part of that is a factor of Big Al playing out of position; it's not fair to ask him to guard opposing centers.  Still, he also doesn't make any sort of defensive effort.

[kozlodoev]

Even with the veteran role players, this team isn't sniffing a title without KG.  Look at how close the Cleveland and Atlanta series were.  You take KG out of the equation, we're looking at a first or second round exit. 

KG changed the culture of the team.  As clever as Thibodeau is with his schemes, he couldn't have done it without KG literally willing his teammates to do what Thibodeau wanted. 

  Atlanta wouldn't have taken us to 7 games with Jefferson on the team instead of KG. We wouldn't have suffered through those offensive lulls. And Al's numbers weren't inflated in Minny. He would have put up better numbers here.

Sure, as a matter of fact, Pierce has talked that last season the Celtics used to have 'some players' who cared more about getting their 16 points, rather than how the team was doing. I wonder who he had in mind...

[drza44]

This is a ridiculous question.  KG wasn't "added" to Allen and Pierce as far as the team identify goes...KG was the focus of the team's identity, and Pierce and Allen fit in around him.  With Big Al instead of KG the entire team identity would have been different, the entire way that the team played would have been different, and the entire way that opposing teams approached them would have been different.  Pierce's and Allen's strengths/weaknesses don't fit NEARLY as well around Jefferson as they do around KG.

And that's not even getting into the actual difference in talent level.  Big Al's two greatest strengths are that he is an excellent scorer and rebounder...and KG scores more efficiently and can rebound better than him.  Then you move to the other facets of the game...KG dwarfs him as both an individual and a team defender (and the entire Celtics D was built around this), KG is a much better team offensive player than Big Al, and KG creates more mismatches at both ends of the court than Big Al ever could.  IMO, this isn't a realistic comparison.

[dark_lord]

no way in hell.

Al is not a sive defensively to be sure, but he isn't in the same area code as KG. never mind the leadership that KG brought.

my feelings exactly!

[micah kenneth]

no way in hell.

Al is not a sive defensively to be sure, but he isn't in the same area code as KG. never mind the leadership that KG brought.

my feelings exactly!

Al is without any question a much and i would punctuate the word much better offensive scorer than KG in the paint, Al is practically a scoring machine in the paint, and post play happens to be KG's weakness or hasn't anyone notice over the course of the season with the C's and especially in the playoffs.
Rebounding wise Al is just as good as KG period. Defensively and shooting the ball on the perimeter is where KG sets himself apart from Al in a big way, not to mention KG exudes leadership.
I still feel the biggest difference with Boston going to the championship was Tom Tibedeau's defensive strategies and KG led the way in that department. I was really wondering if Tom could've gotten Big Al to be as effective on the defensive end as he did with KG.
Al Jefferson is going to be a star in the NBA for some time he's gotten better with each season and I wouldn't be surprise if he makes the All Star Team next season