The Celtics will win the Atlantic Division

[BoSox34]

This year is the key and deciding year for many in the Celtics organization including Doc, Danny, Big Al, and Telfair. The Celtics will definitely win their division and they will take at least one playoff series to top it off. The Celtics will have great success this year because...

 

1. Sebastian Telfair: This guy is ready to be the best pure offensive passing point guard that we've had since the days of Bob Cousy. He has an unbelievable passing sense and improved his shooting last season and showed even more progress in the summer league. If he can be a consistent shooter along with his already great passing instinct, he is ready to take the next step and he will be a great PG in the NBA, even better than his cousin, Stephon Marbury. Adidas didn't sign him to a multi-million dollar straight out of highschool for nothing, they saw the same thing in him that former Portland coach, Nate Mcmillan, saw. Mcmillan was very complementary of Telfair (in a recent article from the Boston Globe) after he was traded, saying that they had to decide between Telfair and Zach Randolph and they chose Randolph. (The real reason they had to keep him was because of his ridiculous contract and the fact that nobody wanted him.) He also went on to say that Telfair didn't fit in the system in Portland because of the slower paced offense led by Randolph. Mcmillan said that he expects Telfair to have great success in Boston, especially in a faster paced offense where he has capable wing players to dish the ball to. I completely agree and when Telfair completes his progress of improving his shot, he will be a lethal point guard.

 

2. Wally: When we first acquired Wally, many analysts and people close to the game said that Wally would be Pierce's best sidekick yet, even better than Antoine and Ricky. Unfortunately, Wally wasn't completely healthy and it was obvious that his knees were preventing him from performing to the best of his ability. After a long offseason of rest and rehab, Wally should be back on track and he will be a quality shooter who will get many open looks from Telfair.

 

3. Paul Pierce...doesn't need explanation, he's the most recent Celtics legend and is consistently an all-star who has also recently shown his leadership ability. I expect very little drop off and another all-star season.

 

4. Al Jefferson: Breakout season, he got much stronger according to Mike Gorman and he also had a lot of rest and rehab during the offseason. He went through a successful surgery and should be ready to go for the preseason. I think this is finally the year that Al breaks out. He showed flashes of greatness last January before he was injured. He has the ability and I think he's learned from his struggles and he now has the work ethic to go along with the skill.

 

5. Theo Ratlff/Perkins: A two headed shot blocking/rebounding monster. Perkins impressed everyone last season after turning into a blocking machine, but also dissapointed some with his fouling troubles. Now instead of putting Raef, Scal, or Kandi in after Perk collects some fouls and basically throwing in the white flag, enter Ratliff. This guy has been a consistent rebounder and shotblocker throughout his whole career and he is only a few years removed from blocking over 4 shots a game in a season. He should be a great Center to have off the bench, and a great match for Perkins.

 

6. Depth: The depth on this team is insane. When you have a great scoring guard in Delonte West, a rising scoring star in Gerald Green, a promising young SG in Tony Allen who impressed everyone towards the end of last season, a great young SF/PF in Gomes who surprised everyone last season after Perk and Al went down, and Ratliff, you know you have unbelievable depth. Also, Rondo will be taking Orien Greene's spot and is definitely an upgrade. Allan Ray has proved that he can be a good shooter and Rondo should be able to get him the ball whenever they're out there together. Also, we have Leon Powe, who some analysts and writers, including Scoop Jackson, considered the steal of the draft. If he can stay healthy, he can be a good scorer down low off the bench.

 

7. Competition: The competition looks weak this season in our division compared to other seasons...Nets: Getting older and just an injury away from falling apart, I don't expect Kidd to perform like he has in the past.....Raptors: A couple years away from being a factor...Philly:AI will keep getting it done but he still doesn't have enough around him...Knicks:....

 

Maybe I'm being too optimistic, but I seriously believe that this team has what it takes, if they stay healthy, to take the division and make a little noise in the playoffs.

[Cityofchampions33]

Nets are takin it, hands down

 

I mean jason Kidd, Vince carter, Jefferson are way to much for anyone in the Atlantic. Plus they already ahve an above-average backup PG in Marcus Williams

[YanksHater213]

lolololol talk about overrating Telfair. he's good but IMO he isnt the key thing this team needed. theo will be lucky to survive half the season in this fast offense. Al again won't break out as he still hasn't been able to do much of anythign at all.

 

celtics wont win the division. i say 2nd, 6-8 finish in the conference depending on other teams.

[yeszir]

Alright, I just put $1,000 down on them winning the division according to your prediction. You owe me if you're wrong!

[BoSox34]

Alright, I just put $1,000 down on them winning the division according to your prediction. You owe me if you're wrong!

 

Haha, did you really? I really think they have a good chance if they stay healthy but I'd never put money on the Celtics, way too unpredictable.

[yeszir]

Haha, did you really? I really think they have a good chance if they stay healthy but I'd never put money on the Celtics, way too unpredictable.

...I didn't really.

[BoSox34]

...I didn't really.

 

good, didn't think so, but just making sure.

[Cityofchampions33]

Unless we get someone like Iverson we dont stand a chance, even if we do, I would be suprised if we finished 1st.

[MANNYHOF24]

am i imagining things or was the useless half of this thread that I read ealier deleted, or was that a different thread

[yeszir]

am i imagining things or was the useless half of this thread that I read ealier deleted, or was that a different thread

It was split into a new thread in fights and crap called "more fighting".

[MANNYHOF24]

I suppose thats where belongs, as for the celtics I think They will win. Jason Kidd is a year older and its time for Perk, big Al and Delonte to step up. Plus they have Paul Pierce coming off a huge year. My uncle who post on RealGm told me that Wally's knee is now bone on bone, and its not a good situation for someone who is only 28

[Jon_Papelboner]

They have a good shot, but I don't view them as a lock.

[Cityofchampions33]

Wow, a lot of yous eem really optimistic. I meanw e have a good young team, but we're not ready no way.

[Beckett95]

they'll be pretty fun to watch, but will NOT win the division. I see them fighting for a playoff spot though.

[Manny Goes Boom]

Playoff bound sure...division, no shot. New Jersey is too good. Period. I told y'all LAST YEAR they would be good, and you laughed...now look at you (Look it up doubters). Anyway, I agree that the Celts have improved, but BoSox you are ABSURDLY overrating Telfair. Best passing PG since Cousy (I assume by your words "we" means the Celtics, because Steve Nash is by far and away the best passer the league has). I see them getting in the playoffs...but not making a lot of noise, too guard oriented (although I like Gerald Green, freak athlete and I think will be a great one down the road). Theo Ratliff is like 85 years old, Gomes is too small for a PF, and too slow to play the SF, and the bigs are relatively unproven. Also, if Wally's knees are bone on bone, don't expect much at all from him. If he couldn't do well with Garnett (one of the best players in the game), how much better could he do in Boston?

 

BoSox, your being WAY too optimistic...you don't expect Kidd to perform like in the past...On what basis besides bais do you have to believe that? Does Kidd have some injury I don't know about...last I checked he was the best PG in the league until Steve Nash broke out here in Phoenix 2 years ago, and if it weren't for Nash he still would be. Injury away from falling apart...didn't Richard Jefferson get hurt last year, and they STILL won the division? I just don't see where your coming from.

 

Anyway...The Eastern Conference should be fun...

[BoSox34]

"We've had" meant players on the Celtics, so that doesn't include Nash, unfortunately.

[Jon_Papelboner]

Nets and Celtics will be close.

[Soxfan1]

Nets and Celtics will be close.

Sums it up.

[ORS]

good, didn't think so, but just making sure.

Don't let him fool you. He makes $3,000 a day off the advertising on this site. A thousand clams would be a drop in the bucket for him, and yeszir is a gambling junkie. He put $10,000 down on a championship badminton match.

[yeszir]

Don't let him fool you. He makes $3,000 a day off the advertising on this site. A thousand clams would be a drop in the bucket for him, and yeszir is a gambling junkie. He put $10,000 down on a championship badminton match.

My parents were placing bets about which street I would be born on during that cab ride. Brookline Avenue was the correct guess.

[Cityofchampions33]

Sums it up.

 

Nay, overly-optimistic sums it up