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Just want to get a feeling of how people are looking at this unexpected 2-5 stretch. Assuming option 2 is the widest spread opinion but you never know.

It's clear as day to me. 1st or 2nd best starting 5 in the game with a excellent coaching staff, and not much else. The C's have one of the worst benches I can remember on a Championship squad. Gled Davis is a joke I'm surprised he's on a pro squad. THe C's have a desperate need for a tough big and a solid backup pg. I assume the C's will make some nice acquisistions, so I'm jumping to no conclusions. ATM I see them as the 2nd best team in the game. The CAVS are doing it with smoke and mirrors and the MVP favorite... guard everybody else tight and let LBJ go 1 on 5, that's what they used to do with the Kobester.

Championship core, but there were 2 pieces that brought a lot of intangables last season that we now miss, We have the hardest parts of a championship team to build, Stars willing to play for the sake of the team, Great Defence and now... championship experience, however what we miss is showing big time

We have no bench player that can defend long small forwards
We have no long range shooter to spread the D off the bench other than house
We have no player off the bench capable of coming in and allowing us to play small ball
Or a playoff hardened veteran to lead the bench

Posey was all of the above, and its why he was such a huge loss. i was one at the start of the season hoping that the young guys would step up and cover the holes, but really... they cant

PJ gave us a big over 6'10 capable of playing solid D, knocking down shots and again providing bench leadership

Right now if we come into the playoffs as is we would be relying on other teams not playing to their best, injuries, an easy run or some freakish Dwyane Wade like performance from one of the guys to go all the way.

There are just times in the playoffs where players like House/Tony/Davis are most definately not going to cut it

Marbury is a start, trade Scal/Pruitt/Davis for anybody over 7 foot with a pulse and call up Billy Walker to inject the bench with some energy

We can still win, and i think we will... just have faith Ainge is scouring around for additions to help us, if hes not i will be sorely disappointed

It's just a temporary funk guys. It's a long season. Championships aren't won in January. They will be ready when it counts.

I'm not saying there aren't concerns and a championship isn't a lock, but I would not get bent out of shape. In fact these struggles that your guys Celts and my Cavs are having will only make them better. It makes both teams learn how to cover up their weaknesses better, adjust and/or make some deals.

The Celts are in a better position than any other team in the East to make the finals. That hasn't changed. It's unfortunate that the Cavs and Celts are limping into a matchup I was so hyped to see a week ago. I still am hype of course, but not as much after these bad loses by both squads.

Just a slump, this is still a championship caliber team and a team on pace for 66 wins. Although the bench could use an upgrade or two if we want to be the clear cut best team in basketball like we were last year (despite the media being all over the Lakers nuts, the Celtics were pretty obviously the best team in the NBA last year even before the Finals).

I think the team just hits a wall at the 30 game mark or so...they did last year as well. The difference is this year is a little longer, I think that's mainly because we are playing a ton of road games at the 30 game mark and the home crowd isn't there for the team to get an emotional boost off of and play lockdown defense when they appear to be a bit worn out.

Best starting 5 and best defensive team in the game will have us at the very least in contention to win it all, but I'd definitely like to see us improve the bench and land a legit backup center.

It was clear before the season that the bench had to either:

A. Benefit from greatly improved play by the existing players.
B. Be improved with mid-season vet additions.

It's time for Plan B.

Funk. I really wish people would stop using the Posey/Brown argument. Brown didn't play until late in the season and Posey wasn't as good as some people WANT him to have been last year. He was a solid role player at times and sucked at times, just like the bench last year. Will we win the title? We could, but only one team does and as of right now, the Celtics have just as good of chance as they did last year at this time. People have such short memories and are so pessimistic. Negative energy brings negative results, not for the team ( we don't influence the game) but in life in general. I am sure the boys in the locker room are positive and that is all you need to know.

I picked option 2. With a few good vet pick ups, we will be right on track.

Last year's team wouldn't have won without home court advantage and I doubt this one would either. That's what's slipping away now.

I think Doc and Danny are disappointed to find they don't have any trade value in their bench. Danny''s probably frustrated that Doc still won't play Pruitt and Doc is probably frustrated that Danny hasn't given him a better 6 through 9.

I have a hard time seeing the Knicks let Marbury jump to the C's, but he would clearly be half the answer to their problems now.

Fencer reregistered wrote:It was clear before the season that the bench had to either:

A. Benefit from greatly improved play by the existing players.
B. Be improved with mid-season vet additions.

It's time for Plan B.

Exactly. TA and BBD are failures and Powe is what he is...solid but unspectacular.

canman1971 wrote:Funk. I really wish people would stop using the Posey/Brown argument. Brown didn't play until late in the season and Posey wasn't as good as some people WANT him to have been last year. He was a solid role player at times and sucked at times, just like the bench last year. Will we win the title? We could, but only one team does and as of right now, the Celtics have just as good of chance as they did last year at this time. People have such short memories and are so pessimistic. Negative energy brings negative results, not for the team ( we don't influence the game) but in life in general. I am sure the boys in the locker room are positive and that is all you need to know.

What he said.