We are in a position to battle for a playoff spot

[Slartibartfast]

Did you think they were too talented to tank last year?


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Not at all. I predicted we would win 24 to 28 games last season. Rondo was going to miss about half the season. We had a first year coach. No had no center. Sully was coming off back surgery and KO was a rookie.

an extra a year of Rondo + Zeller + improvement from Sully and KO is worth 15 games?

I guess if you think Rondo can single handedly make this team average on offense... but I don't see a lot of evidence Rondo is capable of that.

When Rondo/Pierce/KG are bad on offense, I have a hard time believing Rondo/Green/Sully are going to be good.

Eh, D-Will/JJ/Pierce/KG/Lopez managed to be pretty weaksauce on offense to start last year (improving when offensive non-entity Shaun Livingston replaced Brook Lopez) while Phoenix' no-name reject squad of Dragic/Bledsoe/Tucker/Frye/Plumlee put up a top 10 offense.

The moral of the story: big names don't mean all that much if the pieces don't work well together. Not to say that I'm sold on the fit of our pieces, but name dropping isn't much of an argument.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

Did you think they were too talented to tank last year?


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

Not at all. I predicted we would win 24 to 28 games last season. Rondo was going to miss about half the season. We had a first year coach. No had no center. Sully was coming off back surgery and KO was a rookie.

an extra a year of Rondo + Zeller + improvement from Sully and KO is worth 15 games?

I guess if you think Rondo can single handedly make this team average on offense... but I don't see a lot of evidence Rondo is capable of that.

When Rondo/Pierce/KG are bad on offense, I have a hard time believing Rondo/Green/Sully are going to be good.

I agree with this. It is going to take between 35-40 wins to get and 8th seed. If it takes less than that then you probably don’t want to be in the playoffs anyway. Even with Rondo back this team has not improved enough to net another 10-15 wins. Rondo is a pass first PG and in order for Rondo to succeed (like any pass first PG) he needs to good players to pass to and he does not have that with this roster. This team just does not have one glaring weakness, they have three: Defense, offense and rebounding. I have accepted that this is going to be another rebuilding year.

[FreeDrop]

I have a different starting point because I consider this team a 30 win team last year (not 25). I think there was some intentionally unintentional tanking going on, (many believe there should have been more of it). Just take Rondo alone being injured, playing every other game, not always fully engaged when he did play. This was a 30 win team in a bad conference last year in my mind -- so adding 5 games is certainly within the realm this year, (adding Rondo, Smart, Turner, Zeller and another year of experience for AB, Sully, Olynyk) and possibly 10 if they could get a decent defensive/rebounding center to the mix to complement Zeller.

[165bows]

I have a different starting point because I consider this team a 30 win team last year (not 25). I think there was some intentionally unintentional tanking going on, (many believe there should have been more of it). Just take Rondo alone being injured, playing every other game, not always fully engaged when he did play. This was a 30 win team in a bad conference last year in my mind -- so adding 5 games is certainly within the realm this year, (adding Rondo, Smart, Turner, Zeller and another year of experience for AB, Sully, Olynyk) and possibly 10 if they could get a decent defensive/rebounding center to the mix to complement Zeller.

That's pretty much how I look at it. I figure they can gain three games in the backcourt with better depth and health, three in the front court with Sully's recovery and a year of experience for KO (those guys were the best front court last year in almost all lineup groups), and three for the fact that they may not be, you know, trying to lose.

It's optimistic but to think it can't happen is just as pessimistic on the other side IMO.

[canman1971]

I think many have to take off the green colored glasses. I bleed green and I am looking forward to this season as much as any, but to think they will be in contention to make the playoffs, as presently constructed, is insane. Too much has to go right and too many would have to exceed expectations for this to happen. Could it? Sure, anything CAN happen. But will it, I'd give it less than a 5% chance. This team just doesn't have the consistent shooting or rebounding that is needed. When people say AB is our best shooter, and they are right, that is an issue. Zeller is an upgrade and young, but to think he's going to take this giant leap is unreasonable. I do think this team will show flashes of improvement, but they are too young and too raw as a team to make the playoffs. But, I hope I am wrong. I am against intentional losing.

[ConstableGeneva]

If everything goes wrong (zero improvement from youngins, Rondo and vets get traded, injuries, etc.) 2nd worst in the East, potential top 3 draft pick. If everything goes right (like Lowry and deRozan forget how to play basketball and Valanciunas shrinks 10 inches), division title and 4th seed. I'm still optimistic team makes playoffs and it's not totally out of the realm of possibility. But when people say the Celtics might just surprise everyone (just as Phoenix did last season), I believe them. I will be surprised. Pleasantly. How they handle (and recover from?) that BRUTAL November schedule will be crucial in determining early on how far this team will go. Then trades will also be a determining factor. Will Ainge trade away the vets or bring in much-needed help in the interior and players who can shoot?

We'll see what happens but I'm excited to catch every single game. Can't wait for the season to start!

[Parliament10]

I feel we are good enough to fight for a 7th or 8th spot this season. We are too talented to tank again. We are strong at the guard positions with Rondo, Bradley, Smart, Turner, and Thornton. We are deeper at SF with Green, Turner, Wallace, and Young. We are still deep at PF with Sully, KO, and Bass. We have also made improvements at center with the addition of Zeller. KO and Faverani can add a little depth to that position. I feel Zeller is going to suprise a lot of people. Your thoughts?

Barring severe injuries, we can't do as bad as last year.

Our younger members are more seasoned and mature. We have some added experienced blood that may be able to score in droves. We've also gotten a bona-fide Center. Rondo is back, for a full season. And we have some promising new talent.

I see us making the playoffs, as 7th or 8th. Maybe even as high as 6th.