Remember who really believed when the stories change

[drza44]

I'm not predicting 75 wins and fo-fo-fo-fo, but I do see a championship.  I think this is the best team in the NBA, and Shaq, Vince, Artest, etc. don't scare me at all.

I'll sticky this at the top of the forum for you, so you can update it as the season goes along.

mr. hobbs - why does orlando not scare you ? they scare me - and they are on a fresh 2-game losing streak as i write this.

I can't speak for Hobbs, but I would like to answer this question as well.  The Magic don't scare me because if these Celtics are healthy, they are simply better than the Magic and well-built to stop the Magic at their strengths.

The Magic team is built on 1) Howard dominating the middle, 2) Carter outdeuling the opponents' wings, and 3) Rashard Lewis taking advantage of mismatches against opposing PFs.  But the Celtics have the interior game to neutralize Howard, they have the perimeter players to counteract Carter, and they have KG who is probably Lewis' worst matchup in the league.

Conversely, the Magic aren't built to stop the Celtics.  Lewis can't stop a healthy Garnett, Pierce and Allen should be able to overcome their wings, and Nelson can't handle Rondo defensively.

In short...the Celtics are just the better team.  Orlando is very, very good...but at our best, this Celtics team is just better.

[nickagneta]

I'm not predicting 75 wins and fo-fo-fo-fo, but I do see a championship.  I think this is the best team in the NBA, and Shaq, Vince, Artest, etc. don't scare me at all.

I'll sticky this at the top of the forum for you, so you can update it as the season goes along.

mr. hobbs - why does orlando not scare you ? they scare me - and they are on a fresh 2-game losing streak as i write this.

I can't speak for Hobbs, but I would like to answer this question as well.  The Magic don't scare me because if these Celtics are healthy, they are simply better than the Magic and well-built to stop the Magic at their strengths.

The Magic team is built on 1) Howard dominating the middle, 2) Carter outdeuling the opponents' wings, and 3) Rashard Lewis taking advantage of mismatches against opposing PFs.  But the Celtics have the interior game to neutralize Howard, they have the perimeter players to counteract Carter, and they have KG who is probably Lewis' worst matchup in the league.

Conversely, the Magic aren't built to stop the Celtics.  Lewis can't stop a healthy Garnett, Pierce and Allen should be able to overcome their wings, and Nelson can't handle Rondo defensively.

In short...the Celtics are just the better team.  Orlando is very, very good...but at our best, this Celtics team is just better.

I agree. In a seven game series the Magic aren't scary especially given that Carter will probably shoot the Magic out of at the very least two wins in any 7 game series against a good team. he just can't help himself. He gets this need to jack up 25-30 shots a game pretty often and much of those shots are early in the shot clock, contested and from way way out. He is going to really p.o. his team mates and his coach once the playoffs come around and Howard isn't getting 10 touches a game because Carter is such a shot happy pig.

[Rondo_is_better]

I'm not predicting 75 wins and fo-fo-fo-fo, but I do see a championship.  I think this is the best team in the NBA, and Shaq, Vince, Artest, etc. don't scare me at all.

I'll sticky this at the top of the forum for you, so you can update it as the season goes along.

mr. hobbs - why does orlando not scare you ? they scare me - and they are on a fresh 2-game losing streak as i write this.

I can't speak for Hobbs, but I would like to answer this question as well.  The Magic don't scare me because if these Celtics are healthy, they are simply better than the Magic and well-built to stop the Magic at their strengths.

The Magic team is built on 1) Howard dominating the middle, 2) Carter outdeuling the opponents' wings, and 3) Rashard Lewis taking advantage of mismatches against opposing PFs.  But the Celtics have the interior game to neutralize Howard, they have the perimeter players to counteract Carter, and they have KG who is probably Lewis' worst matchup in the league.

Conversely, the Magic aren't built to stop the Celtics.  Lewis can't stop a healthy Garnett, Pierce and Allen should be able to overcome their wings, and Nelson can't handle Rondo defensively.

In short...the Celtics are just the better team.  Orlando is very, very good...but at our best, this Celtics team is just better.

drza just killed it. Absolutely right, TP.

[Reyquila]

DRZA44: You posted that although Duncan has 4 rings PP has 1) he will naver be able to say that he played on a good team ( maybe you meant to say that he played with a team that were a band of brothers and every playe played his small part and thats why they won 4 rings. Its not easy to win 4 rings. Ask Garnett, PP, Ray Allen. I think you are missing the point, amigo. You had your Mullingan; now say it right.

[Reyquila]

Our team will be injury free the rest of the season? Not. How will injuries affect our chances of winning another flag? I dont have the slightest idea; thats why I dont go out on a limb predicting the future. Too many "if's". They do present very good excuses if we don't win, though. Mother nature is not on our side and almost everybody knows it.

[mmbaby]

OP was magnificent! I only started watching Basketball 2 years ago and my chosen team was the Celtics. After watching this amazing bunch of players, I love basketball now. When the player roster was finally decided for this year, my heart did a jump and I thought, wow, this is too good to be true. This group of players together is going to be unreal. I agree that we will win the Championship again this year because our team is the best it's ever been (at least in the 2 years I've been watching  . The bench is almost equal to the starters and that absolutely rocks. KG is feeling his age, but he will not go down any time soon. PP and KG may have age, but they also have wisdom, heart and great bb I.Q. Ray Allen is like a fluid dance on the floor and always comes through at the right moment and that man can shoot. Perkins has improved more than 100% and is likely to be one of basketball's all time greats. Rondo has always been excellent and only keeps getting better. Tony and Rasheed have totally exceeded my expectations. I cannot wait to see Big Baby this year and am so glad he's finally getting back. LET'S GO CELTICS!

[drza44]

I started to post this in an entirely new thread, but when I think about it, I don't want this thread to just be a place people come when things are going great and we want to brag a bit.  No, the whole point of this thread is that even when things don't look great, when others are down on us, we can still believe in our squad because it is a GREAT team.  So for those that think this team's window has closed, that the Lakers are just too good for us, that this team is no longer a contender, I say:

Remember who we are! http://www.celticsblog.com/2010/1/19/1260804/remember-who-we-are

[thirstyboots18]

I still believe...I believe that we should NOT dismantle this team at this time!

I still believe...that as people return from injury we are a major component in the title hunt and can win a championship this year.

I still believe...that we have one of the deepest benches in the NBA.

and...I still believe in Danny, Doc, the staff and the owners.

[Drucci]

I still believe...I believe that we should NOT dismantle this team at this time!

I still believe...that as people return from injury we are a major component in the title hunt and can win a championship this year.

I still believe...that we have one of the deepest benches in the NBA.

and...I still believe in Danny, Doc, the staff and the owners.

I believe the same things, TP for sharing your confidence during these tough times in Celtics nation.

[Celtics17]

I dont really understand how anyone who has played sports could not still believe in this team. That is not mean to be a knock against those who havent played sports much either. I just mean, injuries are a part of any sport and it's quite obvious that this group has had more then their share of them. There is not a single team in the this league who can withstand injuries to so many key players and still be able to look like a title contending team. The Lackers have had Gasol out a lot but that is really just one player. When, and of course if, we are healthy this team is still the best in the league and if KG and Baby get a lot healthier we are far and away the best squad.

[mmbaby]

Ok, I give. Startin' to feel a bit negative now.
Put BBD in starting lineup. Take out Ray when he's not playing well. Gosh, how obvious. Doc keeps playing Ray on his bad nights. Why? Don't put in Williams, Scal when we are losing.
Let BBD have his legs. Though he was boxed in tonight at one point, he still got it up to and in the basket and got both free throws. And that was only playing for a very few minutes. Quit starting Scal and give big minutes to BBD and see what happens.

[Redz]

Ok, I give. Startin' to feel a bit negative now.
 

I'm there dude

[Drucci]

The media are starting to write the Celtics off, but let's remember in a few months who still believed in the team at the time. I'm in.

[thirstyboots18]

I still believe...I believe that we should NOT dismantle this team at this time!

I still believe...that as people return from injury we are a major component in the title hunt and can win a championship this year.

I still believe...that we have one of the deepest benches in the NBA.

and...I still believe in Danny, Doc, the staff and the owners.

Nothing has changed my mind.  The impending return of Marquis Daniels fills in the last missing piece.  The playoffs, after all, have not started yet.  Like I said in our Championship season, no one has won the finals yet, and the Celts have as good an opportunity to do so as anyone else.  There are still a lot of games left between now and then.  Remember when everyone was saying "regular season games don't matter, just get everyone healthy"?  Since when does the championship run end after 40 games?

[albas89]

The media are starting to write the Celtics off, but let's remember in a few months who still believed in the team at the time. I'm in.

Tomorrow night I can tell u if I'm in, too, or not...