Congrats Doc

[SoCalwarrior]

MU alum Doc Rivers may not go down as one of the NBA's worst coaches after all.  If they get KG like it appears they will, he may just win coach of the year.

[77ncaachamps]

Oh yeah?

Who's going to play with KG? They (the Celtics) just traded their future. IF KG goes down with an injury, Doc might as well inquire about any openings with MU's Athletic Dept.

[Pakuni]

Oh yeah?

Who's going to play with KG? They (the Celtics) just traded their future. IF KG goes down with an injury, Doc might as well inquire about any openings with MU's Athletic Dept.

Actually, the trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen may just be enough to win the East next year. And they better be, given the fact that the Celts pretty much mortgaged the next 10 years for a 1-2 year run at a Finals appearance.

[77ncaachamps]

I think that there's just not enough touches to be spread around. KG, Ray, and Paul are used to being "The Man" for their previous teams.

The chemistry, I think, will never be there for that talented trio.

[muhoosier260]

If Lebron, Lebron and Lebron can carry a team to the finals as a representative of the East, I think Allen, Pierce, and Garnett are fully capable of doing the same. They just have to make sure there's enough passing, or they could run into the same problem the Lakers did a few years ago with Shaq, Kobe, Malone and the glove with there not being enough basketball to go around.

[muwarrior87]

the one big difference is that KG is one of the most unselfish stars in the league, he wants to win first and rack up the stats second.  Pierce was able to play with Antoine Walker when he was w/ the Celtics so I think Paul will be able to handle having some other big names on the team.  The only problem is they have noone else since the entire rest of the team went to MN in that deal.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

It might work because KG is a great passer and facilitator.

The celts could start the offense with a KG touch every time down the floor and Ray and Paul would still get enough touches. KG is that good. Seriously, he is probably better than most people even know... but he's been toiling away in a terrible franchise.

Check his stats... they are crazy good in all aspects of the game. Points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals... add to those that he is 7ft tall and can handle the ball and you have one the best forwards ever. We may not realize it right now, but KG changed the way the forward position is played in the NBA.

IF the 3 of them can stay on the floor all season, they could be tough.... but it might not be until 2009 that they are really ready to make a run... they will probably need to add more depth next off season in order to have a real chance at a title.

[Avenue Commons]

If Lebron, Lebron and Lebron can carry a team to the finals as a representative of the East, I think Allen, Pierce, and Garnett are fully capable of doing the same. They just have to make sure there's enough passing, or they could run into the same problem the Lakers did a few years ago with Shaq, Kobe, Malone and the glove with there not being enough basketball to go around.

I forgot all about that Lakers team. That's 3, maybe 4, Hall of Famers on one team.

[mosarsour]

Celtics = 2008 Eastern Conference Champions!

[CTWarrior]

They just have to make sure there's enough passing, or they could run into the same problem the Lakers did a few years ago with Shaq, Kobe, Malone and the glove with there not being enough basketball to go around.

That Laker team was just too old more than anything else.  Malone and Payton were at the point of their careers when they were willing to defer to Kobe and Shaq.  Any issues with getting the ball enough were more Shaq/Kobe.  I think the three guys in Boston have lost so much over the years that they'll do what they can to play together. 

As an aside, this is why the East will continue to be much worse than the West for the near future.  The Celtics as now constructed would be an also ran in the West.  They might win the East, though.  No team in the West would sacrifice their future to the extent the Celtics have so that they could be a 48 win quality team for a couple years.

[Dish]

This trio reminds me a ton of the Rockets mid/late 90's teams of Olajuwon, Barkley, Drexler, and a bunch of scrubs. Three guys in their 30's, LOTS of miles, and the injury bug has hit them hard.

Looks good on paper, but paper's don't win titles.

I see the Celts at 50 wins and a first/second round exit in the playoffs, even in the East. Detroit, Orlando, Chicago, New Jersey, Cleveland will all be tough match up's for the Celts next year.

[Phi Iota Gamma 84]

Don't forget the Milw Bucks will be Redd-Yi to bust out with Mason and Simmons and Bogut and Williams.

Am I Kryst(owiak)al Klear on that

[77ncaachamps]

This trio reminds me a ton of the Rockets mid/late 90's teams of Olajuwon, Barkley, Drexler, and a bunch of scrubs. Three guys in their 30's, LOTS of miles, and the injury bug has hit them hard.

Looks good on paper, but paper's don't win titles.

I see the Celts at 50 wins and a first/second round exit in the playoffs, even in the East. Detroit, Orlando, Chicago, New Jersey, Cleveland will all be tough match up's for the Celts next year.

Good point. Even in the weak East, Detroit, Chicago, and even New Jersey are clubs who have been together longer and run well together.

KG is a great facilitator, but I'm not too sure that Allen and Pierce will be able to equal their previous ppg avgs.

Unless they were playing in the West with the Suns....

[ecompt]

have to wonder what Kevin McHale is thinking. The Celts immediately become Eastern contenders, which isn't saying much.

[SoCalwarrior]

At the very least, Kevin just became a hero to a whole 'nother generation in Beantown.

[Eye]

Can't believe we've gone through an entire thread and no one has mentioned this yet. How about the Heat for the Eastern Conference title in '08? Some guy named Wade, when on that team and healthy in '06, won the title.

Boston 07-08 reminds me a lot of New Jersey; should make the playoffs; maybe win a series, but conference finals over Miami, Chicago or Detroit would be a surprise.

[herboturbo]

If Lebron, Lebron and Lebron can carry a team to the finals as a representative of the East, I think Allen, Pierce, and Garnett are fully capable of doing the same. They just have to make sure there's enough passing, or they could run into the same problem the Lakers did a few years ago with Shaq, Kobe, Malone and the glove with there not being enough basketball to go around.

I forgot all about that Lakers team. That's 3, maybe 4, Hall of Famers on one team.

I was just wondering who you think the 'maybe' is in that equation??

[ecompt]

Heat have too many question marks. Dwyane likely won't be himself until midseason, and Shaq has nothing left. The team is too old and way too slow.

[Ready2Fly]

I can understand where people are coming from with the Heat - too old, Wade injured, etc.  But the New Jersey Nets as contenders for the eastern conference championship?  That's a complete joke.  You're trying to tell me Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson are a better combo than Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen?  You're out of your freakin' gourd.  Someone also said Orlando.  Ummm.... what?  Because they have Rashard Lewis now?  Give me a healthy Wade and neither the Nets nor the Magic stand a chance in a seven game series.

[ozmetal71]

The Heat are done.  Shaq is pretty much used up, and Wade is not healthy.  Boston, if healthy should contend with Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland for the Eastern Conference title this year.  Whether Boston will be a contender in four years is anyone's guess, but they are clearly trying to win now.

Boston should win between 45-50 games this year and will run away with that pathetic Atlantic division with ease. 

I'm sure that I'm biased because I'm from Chicago, but I think that the Bulls should have the best shot to win the East this upcoming season.  The idiotic draft pick of urban Carrottop aside, with an improved Tyrus Thomas and adding Joe Smith, the Bulls should have enough interior scoring to compete with Detroit and Cleveland.

Plus, Luol Deng is a flat-out pimp who is becoming a superstar.

All in all though, it doesn't matter much because whoever wins the East is going to be cannon-fodder for the Western conference champion. 

[tonyreeder]

Depends on who the referees have wagered on to win the Eastern Conference.  NBA sucks.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Speaking of referees, anybody else find the timing of this blockbuster to one of the East Coast media hubs a bit coincidental? Suddenly, talk of Donaghy seems to have subsided.

[ozmetal71]

You really love conspiracies, PRN.

[muhoosier260]

kevin garnett is actually david stern wearing a suit, trying to do his best to draw attention away from the donaghy situation