OT- Remember how superior the Raps depth was?

The Rondo Show · Post #1 » by **The Rondo Show** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:44 am

Remember hearing from Raps fans how our depth would drag us down and that our 3 man roster would not finish above the Raptors because we had a bunch of NBDL players after the Big 3 and they were the deepest team in the NBA? Also, if anyone of the Big 3 missed time we'd become a lottery team again. Well, it might be time to re-visit those thoughts...

Raptors w/o Bosh since his latest injury: 2-9.
Raptors w/o Bosh on the season: 4-12 with wins over a LeBron less Cavs team, Bobcats, Heat and Sonics.

Celtics w/o KG: 7-2 including wins over the Spurs, Mavs (without Parker and without Harris) and the two losses by a combined 4 points on the road vs. Orlando and Cleveland.
Celtics w/o Ray: 4-1, best win was against Raps on the road by 13 (and really wasn't even as close as scoreboard suggests).

Just sayin'.

Post #2 » by **Bleeding Green** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:00 am

I don't remember this but was this before Posey and House signed and well before Brown and Cassell signed?

The Rondo Show · Post #3 » by **The Rondo Show** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:04 am

Bleeding Green wrote:I don't remember this but was this before Posey and House signed and well before Brown and Cassell signed?

Well, it was right after the KG trade initially but it was said right before the season as well after House and Posey signed.

It was well before Brown and Cassell signed, though--but we didn't have them when KG and Ray missed time and still put up those records I showed (except the recent game Ray missed vs. the Bucks).

On another note: if Bosh is out much longer, it's very possible Washington and Philly will pass them and the Raps will draw the Pistons in the 1st round at the 7th seed.

Bad-Thoma · Post #4 » by **Bad-Thoma** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 1:47 pm

I think the exact sentiments were mirrored by NY fans, I guess it just goes to show that Celtic fans aren't the only blind faith homers out there. Lucky for us the basketball gods have finally recognized that our blind faith is more fervent and feral than that of the aforementioned fandoms.

Pistol Pete Vescey · Post #5 » by **Pistol Pete Vescey** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:39 pm

yes, I recall very clearly raptor fans trumpeting their "supreme depth" and explaining how it was the key to great success . . .

Gant · Post #6 » by **Gant** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:23 pm

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php? ... c&start=12

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=715628

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=715245

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=725399

dacrusha: "It'll be interesting to see how the C's win games with, on one hand, 3 of the top 20 offensive players in the game, but on the other, one of the poorest overall defenses and benches in the league."

There's lots more.

celticfan42487 · Post #7 » by **celticfan42487** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:26 pm

This was after Posey House signing too.

I remeber a month in reading a thread on the Raps board about how good the celts were doing.

I beleive the quote was "Okay yeah so maybe they'll win 50 games... but that won't be enough"

LOLOLOLOLOLOL Raps>50 games.

Raps this year are almost at .500 right now.

OH and Bill Simmons called this BTW; everyone called him an idoit but somehow he had it right with his stats.

EvadedHavoc · Post #8 » by **EvadedHavoc** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:57 pm

Gant wrote:http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=709720&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=12

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=715628

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=715245

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=725399

dacrusha: "It'll be interesting to see how the C's win games with, on one hand, 3 of the top 20 offensive players in the game, but on the other, one of the poorest overall defenses and benches in the league."

There's lots more.

Oh my Oh My THANK YOU for finding those threads.

dacrusha wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

No Center.

No PG.

The two most important positions on the floor are major weakspots for the Cs.

MAS wrote:we have every right to be arrogant, we got that by winning the division last year.

If they want it they're gonna hafta take it from us

We just did :lol:

CeltsfanSinceBirth · Post #9 » by **CeltsfanSinceBirth** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:16 pm

I think most Raps fans have finally realized that the Celts are the superior team.

Let's not tempt bad karma by laughing at their unfortunate injury situation.

nasbahceltic · Post #10 » by **nasbahceltic** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:26 pm

Lol they were all riding their high horse after winning the division last year. Just shows how little they know about NBA basketball. Superstars win in the NBA not depth. Suck that Raptor fans!

DynastyInTheMaking · Post #11 » by **DynastyInTheMaking** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:55 pm

CeltsfanSinceBirth wrote:I think most Raps fans have finally realized that the Celts are the superior team.

Let's not tempt bad karma by laughing at their unfortunate injury situation.

Injuries are a part of basketball, We have dealt with them this year - even more than just KG and Ray. Perk, Posey, Baby, Rondo etc have all missed games.

If the Raptors really had the "greatest bench in the league" like they claimed all summer and into the beginning of the season, they could win despite injuries, much like we did.

Raptors fans were one hit wonders and that made them extremely cocky and arrogant and frankly annoying. They wont be trash talking next summer I know that much.

Post #12 » by **sully00** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:14 pm

To be fair the Raps basically lost the equivalent of Pierce for 31 games and KG for 15 games and Perk for the season and they are still over .500. Rap fans were looking at Ray and Pierce who had just missed half a season due to injury. We would have struggled with the Raps injuries, they have done well to stay above .500.

aboubata · Post #13 » by **aboubata** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:39 pm

nasbahceltic wrote:Lol they were all riding their high horse after winning the division last year. Just shows how little they know about NBA basketball. Superstars win in the NBA not depth. Suck that Raptor fans!

I remember a lot of fans did the same when we won the atlantic a few years back.

celticfan42487 · Post #14 » by **celticfan42487** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:47 pm

Really? Because I remeber a lot of people calling for Doc Rivers to be fired a few years back since he can't win in the playoffs.

For Walker to be traded for something... then screaming when we got a second rounder for him..

And for our second best player Ricky Davis to be traded because he must be the promblem since he disapeared in the playoffs.

I could be wrong though, a lot of fans could have been heralding our Atlantic Divison title and still arguing that that team didn't preform too poorly in the playoffs

Datruth345 · Post #15 » by **Datruth345** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:49 pm

celtics>>>raptors

SonicYouth34 · Post #16 » by **SonicYouth34** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:26 pm

sully00 wrote:To be fair the Raps basically lost the equivalent of Pierce for 31 games and KG for 15 games and Perk for the season and they are still over .500. Rap fans were looking at Ray and Pierce who had just missed half a season due to injury. We would have struggled with the Raps injuries, they have done well to stay above .500.

The Raps have 2 great wing threats, that can shoot the lights out and slash to the basket like no other?

And I don't think CB4 is on KG's level

billfromBoston · Post #17 » by **billfromBoston** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:24 pm

sully00 wrote:To be fair the Raps basically lost the equivalent of Pierce for 31 games and KG for 15 games and Perk for the season and they are still over .500. Rap fans were looking at Ray and Pierce who had just missed half a season due to injury. We would have struggled with the Raps injuries, they have done well to stay above .500.

...Excellent point Sully...

Bosh, Ford, and Garbajosa are essential for Toronto, so looking at their record and stating something about the team in total is erroneous...

...HOWEVER...

The fact that its been their top-end talent that's effected their record without depth being a saving grace pretty much wins the argument against STAR POWER vs. DEPTH, so in that sense the Raps fans, Bulls, etc. were all wrong about depth being the most important...

...plus the fact that everyone determined that the Celtics had no depth simply because the Celtics were relying on players with shorter track records, but not poor ones...

...there's a difference between not knowing what you're going to get from certain players and stating that those players will give nothing...other fans and media pundits sold Rondo/Perk/Powe/Davis/Allen drastically short...

CanSee17 · Post #18 » by **CanSee17** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:01 pm

Gant wrote:http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=709720&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=12

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=715628

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=715245

http://realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=725399

dacrusha: "It'll be interesting to see how the C's win games with, on one hand, 3 of the top 20 offensive players in the game, but on the other, one of the poorest overall defenses and benches in the league."

There's lots more.

Wow...I don't know if I've had more fun than scanning through some of those threads. Thing is, they looked as dumb back then as they do now. I guess the proof is in the pudding...

GuyClinch · Post #19 » by **GuyClinch** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:33 pm

I think I made this comment back during the whole 'depth matters" argument. It DOES matter but here is the rub. It's not like NBA teams are going to be fielding untalented players. EVERY NBA player can play.

So what it comes down to is our 'second tier' so bad that it can't play with another teams 'second tier.' And the answer is (and it's the same for almost every team) no.

In the NBA there are alot of very good basketball players and a few great ones. The gap between our 4 - 12 and another teams is quite small.

Tennis is pretty similiar - as are most major sports. The 300th ranked tennis player is the world is STILL pretty awesome. Maybe he can't beat Federer on a regular basis but he damn well sure can hang with the #50 guy and probably beat him at on a fairly regular basis.

The 'depth matters' people werent' really claiming 'depth" matters as much as they were saying our guys who are the 50,52, 60 and 80 best players in the NBA are going to kick Eddie House and Leon Powe (a couple of 200+ guys) all over the place. That's simply not how it works.

The truth is many of these fan favorites who represent "depth" in the eyes of their fans are exendable and interchangable from an NBA standpoint. It's the stars that make all the difference.

Pete

3pt % · Post #20 » by **3pt %** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 12:23 am

thats a great way of putting it Pete. I would sig it, except cutting some of it off would spoil it.