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Celtics are looking really good
Written by Scott   
Friday, 07 August 2009 19:38

I know I write for a Celtics blog and I am a devout Celtics fan, but I am able to be objective.  The Celtics have had a stellar off-season.  Not only have they improved from their lack of depth, but they have become one of the deepest teams in the league. 

First, I have to say, it looks like Glen Davis is going to remain with the Celts.  The kinks and a contract just need to be worked out and it will be.  The reason I say this is no other team has made an offer and I doubt they will. 

I always say, the game is won in the paint on both ends.  So we have three quality players in the paint to 'back up' two excellent starters in Kevin Garnett.

Marquis Daniels gives us a starter who is coming off the bench.  We did not get a point guard as of yet, but that could change.

It should be noted Daniels is not officially a Celtic, a sign-and-trade is being worked out between the Celts and the Pacers, but all sources indicate it is still on track to happen.

Wallace and Davis speak for themselves. 

Shelden Williams is a guy who I think should be a starter.  In college, he was a 20-10 guy.  I have absolutely no reason to believe he wouldn't be in the pros.  The Atlanta Hawks, who drafted him, didn't use him right.  The same is true of his other 2 teams, Sacramento and Minnesota didn't either.  I will predict he is not going to start over Kevin Garnett.  But he is a guy who could do as well, if not better than Leon Powe. 

All this, plus an excellent starting lineup.

The only two teams I am really scared of are the Mavericks and the Spurs.

Shaq is not going to lead the Cavs to a title.  Jamario Moon was a signing to placate Lebron, but he is another three point shooter who feeds off of Lebron James.

The Magic got hit by steroids, other teams may follow.  But I don't think Vince Carter is going to put them over the top.  He is aging and hasn't always given it his all.  Howard has got to toughen up, especially for the postseason.

The defending champion Lakers have resigned Lamar Odom, but I am starting to think he was playing in a contract year.  I also don't know if Ron Artest is really going to help the team all that much.  On defense, he seems to be not as good he once was.  To add that that, Artest, Kobe Bryant and Odom are not getting any younger.  They seem to not be so deep right now.  Sasha Vujacic and Luke Walton and a few others aren't going to be enough to compete in the west.

I have to give it to Celtics General manager Danny Ainge.  We had problems.  Our biggest was lack of depth and we fixed it.  So we have a chance to have yet another excellent season by becoming one of the deepest teams in the league on paper.  Of course we have to see what actually happens in the regular season.


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Comments (6)Add Comment
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written by Don (With Malice), August 08, 2009
I too like what Boston have done, but the thing they did that I like the most, you didn't discuss at all: signing Sheed.
Shelden Williams??? Dude, I'd rather have his wife play.

It's interesting that the major difficulty that the Celtics will face is the one you allude to LA having: age.
I have no idea why you think LA are getting too old. At the beginning of the next season, Kobe Bryant will be 31, Ron Artest and Lamar Odom 30. Pau Gasol 29. Compare that to KG (33), Jesus (34), PP (32) and Sheed (35). In Australia, we'd probably call them "Dad's Army".

Boston did get better, I think you really underplay the other teams in the league that got better as well. Orlando lost Hedo, but Vince Carter, Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes are nice additions. Shaq's going to make one helluvan impact at Cleveland. I honestly put all 3 teams pretty much on a par with each other.

And LA? Sorry, still better!



(Hey, I had to: I'm an LA blogger!)
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written by Scott, August 08, 2009
Williams has been under-utilized and we have good young players like Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and a nice role player in Marquis Daniels.

Andrew Bynum is hurt all the time and Farmar is a solid role player but streaky.

The Lakers are not better than the Spurs, that is on paper.

And I'll take Ariza over Artest any day of the week.

I need proof Odom wasn't playing for a contract.

Orlando needs to win, Howard is weak and they are solid but nowhere near great. Let's see how Rashard Lewis does without steroids.

Shaq would have made a great impact.... 10 years ago.

The Lakers are not better than the Spurs on paper.

The top teams...
written by CollegeWolf, August 09, 2009
Celtics
Lakers
Spurs
Magic
Cavs
TWOLVES (hahahahaha! sigh.)


As for which team will win the title, it's too early to tell. You never know what could happen with injuries, bad luck, other teams making trades, etc.
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written by ScottAdams , August 09, 2009
Did you see Dwight Howard in the finals? Not exactly a bastion of strength. Bass and Barnes are not going to do anything big, Bass is good, but Barnes? Matt Barnes? He is nowhere near a difference maker. Carter is not a difference maker anymore, he is a scorer with no defense.

Okay, Ariza is a better defender and he doesn't fight with fans. Not a headcase. Look at Artest's postseason vs. Arizas.

Farmar is streaky, not a great shooter and I would take Danials and Rondo as a passer and shooter any day over Farmar.

Collegewolf, I like Dallal too, Marion and Gooden are great additions to the team. Shaq isn't that god anymore, I would put them over the Cavs.

I say on paper because you never see with injuries and whatnot. It is a long season.

I am willing to admit the Spurs have a good shot at winning it all even over the Celtics. You're gonna tell me that Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Richard Jefferson, Roger Mason, Antonio McDyess, not to mention a bench of Imeke Udoka, George Hill and a great draft class, are not the best in the West? Ginobili will hassle Bryant on defense and Bryant is not a good defenseive guard, despite the media overrating him as a defender, Parker will breeze past Fisher, Jefferson will breeze past Artest and anyone can shut him down on defense, and Duncan and McDyess are going to shut down the paint. The Lakers have no depth. Vujacic? Walton? You are way too biased for your own good.

If Artest can quit fighting with fans, walking around in underwear, beating animals, oh and maybe play his quality defense and oh, I don't know, score. (.394 FG% in the 2009 playoffs, .277 from 3.)

And oh what a wonderful postseason Jordan Farmar had, .391 FG% just eye popping, averaging a Jordan-like 4 ppg.
...
written by Don (with malice), August 09, 2009
"The Lakers are not better than the Spurs on paper." - interesting that this is the only place I'm reading this.

Williams has been under-utilized? Hell, Candace out-balls him. Pregnant.

Ariza? Over Artest? Any day of the week???
Ummm... Ariza's a good player, but his season last season was a product of the system. He was a good fit... but in a supposed *break out season*, he averaged a little under 9 points and a little over 4 rebounds.
Yes, he has better speed than Artest - that allowed him to help guard points... but Artest brings a whole new dimension to LA.

I find it poignant that you use descriptions like "solid role player" for Marquis Daniels, yet Farmar's "a solid role player but streaky."

You need proof on Odom not playing for a contract? So... tell me: how many players "playing for a contract" a) agree to come off the bench when it's clear that they're starting quality... and b) agree to LESS MONEY for the stated contract that they're *playing for*?

And wow... whilst you got cheap on LA, nothing beats your comments on Orlando. Howard is... *weak*? There's an adjective I never thought I'd see used for Dwight! They're 'solid'? How will Rashard Lewis do without steroids? C'mon man... tell me you read the story on that.
Whilst ]I'm not a fan of the current system, it was DHEA - something that can be obtained by over-the-shelf supplements. It's not like he was on andro.

And you're still avoiding the impact that VC, Bass & Barnes will have... but are prepared to sing the praises of Shelden Williams?
Eeeek...
Hold on a sec Scott...
written by Don (With Malice), August 10, 2009

It's just that you're pretty high on Shelden Williams and Marquis Daniels (I think Williams is neither a starter, nor will be anything on Powe), yet are prepared to downplay pretty much every other acquisition of any other team (other than the Spurs in your last post).

The play-down on LA because they're *old*, when the players that the Celtics will rely on are older. It's a tad duplicitous.

I'm not sure why you're bringing up the Spurs anyway, I never stated any opinion on that... but seeing as you brought it up... I'll let Project Spurs and tell you how they feel about LAhttp://www.projectspurs.com/20...-race.html. Here's an excerpt:
"If we end up playing the Lakers in the playoffs, expect a fantastic series. I think these two teams are fairly equal. Both teams are extremely deep, create match up problems for the other, and are imposing defensively. The Spurs will not be able to stop Kobe, but the Lakers have no answers for Tony or Manu. The Lakers will create mismatches because they are huge with Odom, Bynum and Gasol potentially playing at the same time, but how will those slow, tall players match up with the Spurs defensively?"


Scott, I never said Matt Barnes is going to be a "difference maker"? My point is: Orlando made some damn good signings over the off-season. David Aldridge thinks they did pretty well.

Lastly, Ariza's good. And was an excellent fit for the defensive scheme LA ran. But did you REALLY just say that Ariza's a better defender than Ron Artest?


Sheesh... am I looking forward to this season!

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