Pierce: Celtics Are Team To Beat

[kgnwally]

Paul Pierce believes that when healthy, the Celtics are the team to beat in the NBA.

"Before the season even started last year, I was asked, 'What is going to stop y'all from winning it all?' " Pierce told Yahoo! Sports. "The first thing I said was, 'If we're healthy, we're going to win it all.' And I'm going to say it again: 'If we are healthy, we are going to win it all.'

"I honestly believe that. I think we're the best team in the NBA, healthy."


What do you guys think of all these guarantees coming from pierce and garnett? do you think they are trying to psyche themselves up for the season so they perform or is it between the lines statement saying we might not be coming into the season fully healthy? I mean personally i agree with both Paul and Kevin that when we are healthy at 100% especially with Rasheed on this team we are the clear cut favorites to win it all this year and possibly next.

[Zin5]

I think they're 100% right. It's not so much of a guarantee. The only hurdle we've had the past two years has been health and we were still one of the best teams in the league last year even with a depleted front court. Through all that, we've only gotten better with the improvements of Rondo and Perk and the additions of Daniels and Sheed. If we stay healthy, I can't see any team beating us this year or next.

[BRUNiNHO91]

The only team that can beat us is LA. They are friggin stacked, they have good defense, and they have Kobe Bryant. But you have got to agree with Pierce here..nobody has beaten Boston with a healthy Big 3...and until somebody does, we are the team to beat..

[nasbahceltic]

The only team that can beat us is LA. They are friggin stacked, they have good defense, and they have Kobe Bryant. But you have got to agree with Pierce here..nobody has beaten Boston with a healthy Big 3...and until somebody does, we are the team to beat..

Exactly. We were knocked off by injury last year, no team dethroned us. As much as Laker fans may want to gloat about winning the chip last year, they all know that was the emptiest championship of recent memory in any professional sport.

Regardless history shows it as a championship, but when it comes to bragging rights and a feeling of accomplishment they know that last year's title was as hollow as they come.

[humblebum]

As a Celtics fan I can say with quite a bit of confidence that Lakers fans don't look at last years Championship as hollow. In fact they've been saying it repeatedly that the Celtics defeat of them was hollow due to the absences of Bynum and Ariza. Sure, the Lakers would have done better to win a Championship against Boston but ultimately a Championship is a Championship. Ideally this season both teams will meet again in the finals, both fully healthy and the Celtics can pull out a win. But there's no question that both teams are significantly changed since the last time they met in the finals.

[TonyMontana]

Exactly. We were knocked off by injury last year, no team dethroned us.

So what is that suppose to mean, you guys were the defending champs and you guys got knocked out the playoffs.

As much as Laker fans may want to gloat about winning the chip last year.

For the most part I have never seen so many fans gloat about their title as much as Cs fans did last year. I mean every single post. Yet I have seen a few poster that have rubbed our title in other fans face, but not even close to you guys.

Like I have said many times before, last years title was just another noch on the belt. The joy would've been beating you guys.

they all know that was the emptiest championship of recent memory in any professional sport.

The emptiest??? Why was it empty cause we rolled over every team as well as the playoffs. Next to the Cavs we had the second best record by a difference of one game. So why was it empty.

We beat the top 4 teams both at home and away including your Celtics, with the exception of losing to the Magic once.

Regardless history shows it as a championship, but when it comes to bragging rights and a feeling of accomplishment they know that last year's title was as hollow as they come.

This is a pretty sad statement. I mean you just cant simply give props where props is due.

First you come up with a lame excuse about you guys losing in the playoff and you werent dethroned
due to injury, like when we played you guys in the finals we were at full strenght.

Then you want to make us look bad that we "Gloat" which for the most part we have never done that specially myself. Yet last year every single Cs fan got bashed and ripped on G.B as well as other boards for being the biggest homers to gloat and rubb their title in people face.

And then you discredit us from our title last year cause you claimed "It was empty" when we basically wooped every teams arse and the entire league knew that it was the Lakers year to win.

So you guys earned your title when you played a Laker team that wasnt even suppose to have Kobe, and midway through the season we traded two of our starters and we lost our starting center Bynum and Ariza to injury. So us losing our key players and you guys losing K.G is not the samething, is it?

One thing I know about certain Cs fan is you guys just love to come up with weak excuses for your failures. SOME NOT ALL. But on the other hand you guys love to discredit teams mainly the Lakers for their achievements.

I hope this year you guys are at full strength cause GOD knows we cant stand excuses.

We took our loss and moved on when we lost to you guys and we came on here and gave you guys props and I was one of those people, yet everytime the Lakers come up all posters like come up with every lame excuse to discredit our success.

So much for good sportsmanship.

[TonyMontana]

The only team that can beat us is LA. They are friggin stacked, they have good defense, and they have Kobe Bryant. But you have got to agree with Pierce here....

As a Celtics fan I can say with quite a bit of confidence that Lakers fans don't look at last years Championship as hollow. In fact they've been saying it repeatedly that the Celtics defeat of them was hollow due to the absences of Bynum and Ariza. Sure, the Lakers would have done better to win a Championship against Boston but ultimately a Championship is a Championship. Ideally this season both teams will meet again in the finals, both fully healthy and the Celtics can pull out a win. But there's no question that both teams are significantly changed since the last time they met in the finals.

Good post by both of you guys. Props.

Also BRUNiNHO "nobody has beaten Boston with a healthy Big 3...and until somebody does, we are the team to beat" We did brah, last year and we did without Bynum in your house.

[SonicYouth34]

Duh.

[Rox_Nix_Nox]

As a Celtics fan I can say with quite a bit of confidence that Lakers fans don't look at last years Championship as hollow. In fact they've been saying it repeatedly that the Celtics defeat of them was hollow due to the absences of Bynum and Ariza. Sure, the Lakers would have done better to win a Championship against Boston but ultimately a Championship is a Championship. Ideally this season both teams will meet again in the finals, both fully healthy and the Celtics can pull out a win. But there's no question that both teams are significantly changed since the last time they met in the finals.

hopefully we see your club in the finals. Many Laker fans want no one else.

[itsvic]

the best member on the celtics board is..........JoeBiscuit. But you guys ripped him to shreds cause he was honest and said that the celtics were weaker this past year. In the end he was right.

[BRUNiNHO91]

The only team that can beat us is LA. They are friggin stacked, they have good defense, and they have Kobe Bryant. But you have got to agree with Pierce here....

As a Celtics fan I can say with quite a bit of confidence that Lakers fans don't look at last years Championship as hollow. In fact they've been saying it repeatedly that the Celtics defeat of them was hollow due to the absences of Bynum and Ariza. Sure, the Lakers would have done better to win a Championship against Boston but ultimately a Championship is a Championship. Ideally this season both teams will meet again in the finals, both fully healthy and the Celtics can pull out a win. But there's no question that both teams are significantly changed since the last time they met in the finals.

Good post by both of you guys. Props.

Also BRUNiNHO "nobody has beaten Boston with a healthy Big 3...and until somebody does, we are the team to beat" We did brah, last year and we did without Bynum in your house.

Nah man...that wasn't what I meant. I know you beat us with the big 3..a couple more of teams did too. I'm saying playoffs. Nobody beat Boston in a best of 7 while the Big 3 were playing. That's what most of us go by. And I think that's what Pierce goes by when he says we are the team to beat.

[BRUNiNHO91]

the best member on the celtics board is..........JoeBiscuit. But you guys ripped him to shreds cause he was honest and said that the celtics were weaker this past year. In the end he was right.

You might want to know a little bit more of what happens in our board, before posting some stupid **** like that.

[SashAlex]

The only team that can beat us is LA. They are friggin stacked, they have good defense, and they have Kobe Bryant. But you have got to agree with Pierce here..nobody has beaten Boston with a healthy Big 3...and until somebody does, we are the team to beat..

Exactly. We were knocked off by injury last year, no team dethroned us. As much as Laker fans may want to gloat about winning the chip last year, they all know that was the emptiest championship of recent memory in any professional sport.

Regardless history shows it as a championship, but when it comes to bragging rights and a feeling of accomplishment they know that last year's title was as hollow as they come.

Ok, boy, I just want to tell you one thing - I'll pray every day and night for the Celtics to make the finals, because, you know, we will be there waiting for ya, and if you don't make it, blame injuries and call the titles not won by your fave team empty.
You want to say I'm cocky and overconfident about the Lakers making the finals next year ?! Well, my friend, it's the same with your Paul Pierce claiming that you're the best.

Your quote was too Celtical ! Ciao ! D'you know how much I want both teams to be healthy in June, hopefully ?! Man, just wait with patience...Good luck until June !

[SashAlex]

The only team that can beat us is LA. They are friggin stacked, they have good defense, and they have Kobe Bryant. But you have got to agree with Pierce here....

As a Celtics fan I can say with quite a bit of confidence that Lakers fans don't look at last years Championship as hollow. In fact they've been saying it repeatedly that the Celtics defeat of them was hollow due to the absences of Bynum and Ariza. Sure, the Lakers would have done better to win a Championship against Boston but ultimately a Championship is a Championship. Ideally this season both teams will meet again in the finals, both fully healthy and the Celtics can pull out a win. But there's no question that both teams are significantly changed since the last time they met in the finals.

Good post by both of you guys. Props.

Also BRUNiNHO "nobody has beaten Boston with a healthy Big 3...and until somebody does, we are the team to beat" We did brah, last year and we did without Bynum in your house.

Nah man...that wasn't what I meant. I know you beat us with the big 3..a couple more of teams did too. I'm saying playoffs. Nobody beat Boston in a best of 7 while the Big 3 were playing. That's what most of us go by. And I think that's what Pierce goes by when he says we are the team to beat.

Back in 2008, Atlanta and the Cavs took you to 7 games. Man, it's a great-great Big 3, but definitely not an unbeatable one as you are claiming ! What if you didn't have HCA back in 2008 against the Cavs or Hawks ? Would your Big 3 be with a title now ? I think not, imho. Man, you need to learn to take into considerations all the aspects, all the factors that influence a team, a game, a stretch of games, even a timely made 3 pointer that should've been a miss could change the world in a second, and the fate of a team...
Just wait for the season...

[BRUNiNHO91]

Back in 2008, Atlanta and the Cavs took you to 7 games. Man, it's a great-great Big 3, but definitely not an unbeatable one as you are claiming ! What if you didn't have HCA back in 2008 against the Cavs or Hawks ? Would your Big 3 be with a title now ? I think not, imho. Man, you need to learn to take into considerations all the aspects, all the factors that influence a team, a game, a stretch of games, even a timely made 3 pointer that should've been a miss could change the world in a second, and the fate of a team...
Just wait for the season...

If the Celtics had KG last year, would you be sitting here saying you were the Champions of last year? Mhm..I think not, imho. And yeah..If Dwight Howard makes a FT in the finals, would your Lakers be defending Champions next year? I THINK NOT, IMHO. See..we can both play that game..So I really don't see your point with that 'IF' ****.
We won on the road when we needed too. The moment we lost at home, we won on the road. We played all year long to earn home court, and we did. We had the privilige to lose EVERY road game and still win a ring. And we took advantage of it. I don't care if Atlanta and Cleveland took us to 300 games...did they BEAT US IN A BEST OF 7?HAS ANYBODY EVER BEATEN BOSTON IN A BEST OF 7 WITH PIERCE, KG, AND RAY?

NO!That's what we are saying here. Nobody is saying we WON'T be beat..we are just saying NOBODY HAS DONE IT YET..which makes us, 'The team to beat'. Get that through your head.

[PP 4 Three]

I'm not worried about any of the other contenders, the Celtics are better than all of them. The only thing I'm worried about is our health.

[Hemingway]

We are in a good spot right now. I would favor us to win if healthy and I think we have just as good a shot as the top teams if one guy goes out. Getting Sheed was huge, if we had him last year we probably would have gone farther, maybe all the way.

[HighAboveCourtside]

Saying any Championship is hollow is ridiculous. A Championship is a Championship. No matter what, people will look to that particular year and say "x was the best team, they got the title". I don't think the Celtics are the team to beat. LA is. The reigning Champion is always the team to beat. But I have no problem with Pierce saying it. He's a competitor and he's confident, as he should be. Of course he thinks his team is the best.

[nasbahceltic]

Exactly. We were knocked off by injury last year, no team dethroned us.

So what is that suppose to mean, you guys were the defending champs and you guys got knocked out the playoffs.

As much as Laker fans may want to gloat about winning the chip last year.

For the most part I have never seen so many fans gloat about their title as much as Cs fans did last year. I mean every single post. Yet I have seen a few poster that have rubbed our title in other fans face, but not even close to you guys.

Like I have said many times before, last years title was just another noch on the belt. The joy would've been beating you guys.

they all know that was the emptiest championship of recent memory in any professional sport.

The emptiest??? Why was it empty cause we rolled over every team as well as the playoffs. Next to the Cavs we had the second best record by a difference of one game. So why was it empty.

We beat the top 4 teams both at home and away including your Celtics, with the exception of losing to the Magic once.

Regardless history shows it as a championship, but when it comes to bragging rights and a feeling of accomplishment they know that last year's title was as hollow as they come.

This is a pretty sad statement. I mean you just cant simply give props where props is due.

First you come up with a lame excuse about you guys losing in the playoff and you werent dethroned
due to injury, like when we played you guys in the finals we were at full strenght.

Then you want to make us look bad that we "Gloat" which for the most part we have never done that specially myself. Yet last year every single Cs fan got bashed and ripped on G.B as well as other boards for being the biggest homers to gloat and rubb their title in people face.

And then you discredit us from our title last year cause you claimed "It was empty" when we basically wooped every teams arse and the entire league knew that it was the Lakers year to win.

So you guys earned your title when you played a Laker team that wasnt even suppose to have Kobe, and midway through the season we traded two of our starters and we lost our starting center Bynum and Ariza to injury. So us losing our key players and you guys losing K.G is not the samething, is it?

One thing I know about certain Cs fan is you guys just love to come up with weak excuses for your failures. SOME NOT ALL. But on the other hand you guys love to discredit teams mainly the Lakers for their achievements.

I hope this year you guys are at full strength cause GOD knows we cant stand excuses.

We took our loss and moved on when we lost to you guys and we came on here and gave you guys props and I was one of those people, yet everytime the Lakers come up all posters like come up with every lame excuse to discredit our success.

So much for good sportsmanship.

Jesus, do you have some alert or something on your phone that lets you know everytime the word "Lakers" is written on this message board???

First off, stop being an a-hole, you know exactly what I mean when I said we were dethroned by injuries. KG didn't play a single game in the playoffs. You think if Kobe had to sit out the playoffs with an injury nobody would have acknowledged that his injury was ultimately what lead to your team's demise as opposed to being knocked off by a team that was simply better than you?

And where do you get off saying you rolled over everybody??? A Rockets team missing their two most talented players took you guys to 7. I hardly remember anybody saying we rolled over the Hawks or the Cavs when they took us to 7 last year.

And you want to bring up the fact that you shouldn't have had Kobe and didn't have Bynum and traded 2 starters in the middle of the season as being analogous to us losing KG? Ok let me just break this down to see if I have it right:

(1) Kobe - I guess your referring to his injured thumb or finger whatever it is. The same injury that was so bad that he played through last year's final few months of the season, playoffs, olympics, another season and another playoffs. And if my memory serves me correctly, wasn't the surgery going to allow him to come back right before the playoffs last year anyway? The only other thing you could be meaning by not having Kobe was the fact that he demanded a trade in the offseason, but really what sense would it make to bring that whole thing up unless your looking for some type of sympathy points for having to overcome so much adversary or something lame like that.

(2) Bynum - I'll give you guys this one. Bynum was a legitimate loss as a rotational cog on your team, but as this year's run made even more clear, Bynum's impact was truly minimal as Phil just doesn't trust the guy enough to give him the minutes necessary to make the kind of impact you guys may think he should be making given his talent and skill set.

(3) (my personal favorite) Trading away two starters in the middle of the season - the part you didn't mention is that you traded these guys for PAU FREAKIN GASOL! In case you forgot you guys went from also-rans to legit contenders the day you acquired Mr. Gasol so I have very little sympathy or understanding for the point your trying to make here. Also if I recall, wasn't your starting lineup Bynum, Odom, Radmanovic, Kobe, Fisher before the trade for Gasol? Where are the 2 starters you traded that was such a significant hurdle for you guys? Are you trying to tell me Maurice Evans (traded for an already injured Ariza) and Kwame "cake throwing" Brown were the guys you had to overcome losing? 2 bench warmers who may have been starters the year before, but you somehow turn them into starters the following year as well. I mean come on man that like me saying the Celtics had to overcome the loss of Sebastien Telfair.

To sum it all up - No these "losses, hurdles, trials and tribulations etc." do not equal the loss of our best player and arguably the greatest player at his position of all time. (cue up the "First off, Tim Duncan..." response)

Look, you guys are the Champs and you won fair and square nobody is debating that, but your kidding yourself if you think we don't have a legit claim to still feel we're the NBA's best team. The fact still remains we were dethroned by an injury to our best player, not by your team our any other team for that matter. And since you think regular season victories equate to being knocked off I guess we should've ceded our Championship to the Wizards in '08 and you guys should've stopped playing after losing to the Bobcats and Blazers??

[captain green]

Ah laker fans I loathe them like I do the Cowboys,.
However lets do this logically stats wise player by player and coaching staff.

derreck fisher vs. rajon rondo RONDO wins here

kobe byrant vs. ray allen KOBE wins here

ron artest vs. paul pierce PIERCE wins here.

pau gasol vs. kevin garnett PAU wins here

andrew bynum vs. kendrick perkins It seem here the stats seem fair slight edge health and defense and last years playoff stas of going to perkins with regular season stats going to bynum. TIE

lamar odom vs. rasheed wallace read above but lamar slight edge reversal. TIE

jordan farmar,shannon brown, sasha vujacic vs. eddie house, tony allen, marquis daniels CELTICS here

luke walton, josh powell, adam morrison, d.j mbenga vs. glenn davis, brian scalabrine, sheldon williams, bill walker I go slight edge with LAKERS here (real close to a tie)

leaves giddens vs. unsigned player = no edge here.

coaching staff goes to LAKERS

It comes down to home court advantage and health for both squads..

My two cents: I have respect for west, wilt, abdul, baylor, rambis, worthy, cooper, and most of all Magic.
But I can't stand kobe,and artests bigger than the game attitude where we only have a possible wallace problem on our squad.

I would predict these two team in the final barring health for both squads.
As far as the last two championship series L.A. made it to the last two and injuries and health were involved with both team both years. There is no hollow champions just champions, congrats to both for the last two years heres to we meet healthy and in the finals for the edge.
Sense we have 17 and you have 15 total edge is still ours. good luck and not everybody is a homer on both sides