The one additon that can turn this thing around

[return2glory]

There is no denying it, this team needs help. We have won 6 and lost 12 since Christmas. First I would like to look at the issues then I would like to give a solution that can get us back in the title drive.

Let's look at real issues other than age and injuries.

1. Doc Rivers has stopped coaching this team. Take today for example. TA played the best half of his season and couldn't get in the game in the 2nd half. Why? With Ray Allen playing like garbage, this should have made Doc's decision easier, yet he failed to act. He doesn't make any offense for defense subsitutions anymore. Who here was comfortable with Kobe taking Ray one on one for the game winner? And why did we go for a 3 at the end of the game when we where down by 1?

2. We lack an inside scorer. The only player we have that can score on a regular basis is Wallace and the guy just jacks up 3's. Our offense is currently based on jump shot after jump shot and as a result our half court offense struggles.

3. Rasheed Wallace is being not being used properly. Danny Ainge messed up on this one. Going into the season, Ainge and Doc felt that getting Wallace would help spread the floor. Well Wallace is shooting less than 30% on 3's. It's not too late to correct this.

Now for the solution:

Get a wing player off the bench that can defend and spread the floor. We can do this without trading any of our key players. Think a James Posey type of player. This should be the # 1 priority. If we can this type of player before the trade deadline, it will change the whole outlook of this tem.

How this one move will help this team:

1. We will become a better outside shooting team. Wallace was supposed to be the guy to spread the floor, but he is shooting less than 30% from 3's.

2. We can now utilize Rasheed Wallace in the post. By using Wallace mainly in the post, we will have more of an inside/outside game. Moving Wallace to the post will help our half court game.

3. We will also become a better rebounding team. Some of you may be asking how can am outside shooting wing player help the team in rebounding? Because a 7'0 Wallace can rebound better 5 feet from the basket compared to 24 feet from the basket.

We are still a good team and the season isn't over. If Ainge can address this need, barring any more injuries, we will still have a chance at a title. If things stay the same, it will be too much to overcome.

[darrendaye]

I agree with much of what you said under the "issues" portion of the post, but, getting another wing player that will defend will have little to no impact on influencing Rasheed Wallace to post up more often. Rasheed is what he is and he is not someone who is willing to take the physical contact on the block for a prolonged period of time.

[Ben-N1ce]

I said it early. If they don't move Ray which I don't think they will they isn't much out there. Wally Z or Von Wafer is who I think they might get. It's very difficult to get a shooter that is a good wing defender. A Posey or Shane Battier type don't come a dime a dozen. They would be considerably better if they landed Grant Hill believe it or not...or even Mcdyess instead of Sheed. Whens the last time you saw Sheed even cut toward the basket?

[return2glory]

I said it early. If they don't move Ray which I don't think they will they isn't much out there. Wally Z or Von Wafer is who I think they might get. It's very difficult to get a shooter that is a good wing defender. A Posey or Shane Battier type don't come a dime a dozen. They would be considerably better if they landed Grant Hill believe it or not...or even Mcdyess instead of Sheed. Whens the last time you saw Sheed even cut toward the basket?

McDyess was the player in wanted instead of Wallace going into the season. Wally Z can't play any defense.

[darrendaye]

Wonder what kind of mood the board would be in if Ainge simply sold the 2009 2nd round draft pick and re-signed Leon Powe......

[return2glory]

I agree with much of what you said under the "issues" portion of the post, but, getting another wing player that will defend will have little to no impact on influencing Rasheed Wallace to post up more often. Rasheed is what he is and he is not someone who is willing to take the physical contact on the block for a prolonged period of time.

Players that want to win a title have to sacrifice. If this team is serious about winning another title, they will sit down with Sheed and explain that their experience with him as an outside shooter hasn't worked.

Wallace needs to do what's best for this team. Taking 7-8 three's a game and hitting less than 30% isn't what's best for this team right now. But again this goes back to Doc not coaching this team over the past 6 weeks.

[return2glory]

Here are some wing players that can hit 3's and are decent defenders.

1. J Dudley- 47%
2. Affalo- 45%
3. A. Parker- 45%
4. Morrow- 44%
5. N. Young- 43%
6. Casspi -40%
7. Q. Richardson- 40%
8. Salmons- 39%
9. B. Rush-38%
10.Nocioni- 35%

I would love Dudley, Morrow, Casspi, Young, or Salmons.

[Ortho Stice]

we are a terrible defensive rebounding team, our average per game is worse than our opponents'. this is a weakness for our team, although it was a strength during our championship year. having rasheed play closer to the basket on offense won't fix this, because defensive rebounds are the problem. and he's a very bad defensive rebounder. we're in dire need of an improvement here - marcus camby would be ideal, but i don't know how we'd get him. we also need a point guard, since eddie house struggles to bring the ball up the floor. and i agree that we need a back-up wing that can defend/stretch the defense. but as doc showed tonight, no matter how good that player is playing, ray will arbitrarily play over him, even if he's having a terrible game. we really need to get ray off the team, since he's having - by his standards - a very bad year shooting threes, and if he's not playing very good on the offensive end he's worthless, because he's a terrible defender. i feel we need a straight up replacement for him ASAP, plus a great defensive rebounder, and we'll have a better team.

[Papa Irish31]

I think Travis Outlaw would be a great backup 3 for this team

[irie]

Here are some wing players that can hit 3's and are decent defenders.

1. J Dudley- 47%
2. Affalo- 45%
3. A. Parker- 45%
4. Morrow- 44%
5. N. Young- 43%
6. Casspi -40%
7. Q. Richardson- 40%
8. Salmons- 39%
9. B. Rush-38%
10.Nocioni- 35%

I would love Dudley, Morrow, Casspi, Young, or Salmons.

I think the only players on that list that we could get just for simply contracts matching up are Nocioni and Salmons.

Casspi and Morrow are untouchable, according to their teams.

Everyone else we would have to give up regular rotation guys for, and probably more than the board members that are Celtics fans are willing to offer. The reality is that we do not have the assets to acquire players like these.

[darrendaye]

To me, it's beginning to crystalize that the best trade fit and match could be for Salmons. If Chicago doesn't find a suitable deal for Hinrich, I believe the Celts match up very well with a House & Scal for Salmons trade. Hinrich and Rose at the point allow Chicago a good opportunity to flip House from PG on defense to SG on offense. Similarly, Salmons is too slow to play SG which he is asked to do a bit too much in Chicago and would be able to play all his time at SF in Boston.

The deal also solves salary cap issues for both sides. Chicago gets out from under Salmons' 2010/11 cap figure. Boston gets to keep a solid, well fitting, bench piece without needing to use the MLE.

[LAKESHOW]

"2. We can now utilize Rasheed Wallace in the post. By using Wallace mainly in the post, we will have more of an inside/outside game. Moving Wallace to the post will help our half court game."

this might be a problem. when we played the blazers years back, rasheed wallace WAS A BEAST on the interior. his length on the inside and moves were totally unstoppable. strong and will go over you. step back and put a short fadeaway midrange. get in the middle of the key and it was over for us. but the dude totally lost the drive to stay in the post, and started jackin 3s. his numbers wont prove it, but ive seen it first hand when the blazers played the LAKERs in those days. just an awesome repitoire of moves down low.

sheed cannot and will not work down low in the post. not because of coaching, i dont believe HE WANTS to go down there. so i dont think #2 will work.

[Triple M]

Does anyone think we can get in on the Amar'e sweepstakes??? He could help our rebounding issues plus our lack of interior scoring as well as potential being a replacement for KG. I assume if he is dealt it is going to be an Eastern Conference team perhaps to a team like Cleveland or Chiago. I'm not sure if we have enough to match what other teams have to offer but we got to prevent our competition from getting tougher.

[cdouglas]

Here are some wing players that can hit 3's and are decent defenders.

1. J Dudley- 47%
2. Affalo- 45%
3. A. Parker- 45%
4. Morrow- 44%
5. N. Young- 43%
6. Casspi -40%
7. Q. Richardson- 40%
8. Salmons- 39%
9. B. Rush-38%
10.Nocioni- 35%

I would love Dudley, Morrow, Casspi, Young, or Salmons.

Wizard fan here. The reason Nick is #5 is because Saunders doesn't play him. He would better utilized on a team like Boston. They guy is very good from the 3 pt range.

[Banks2Pierce]

Here are some wing players that can hit 3's and are decent defenders.

1. J Dudley- 47%
2. Affalo- 45%
3. A. Parker- 45%
4. Morrow- 44%
5. N. Young- 43%
6. Casspi -40%
7. Q. Richardson- 40%
8. Salmons- 39%
9. B. Rush-38%
10.Nocioni- 35%

I would love Dudley, Morrow, Casspi, Young, or Salmons.

Wizard fan here. The reason Nick is #5 is because Saunders doesn't play him. He would better utilized on a team like Boston. They guy is very good from the 3 pt range.

That's coach #2 or 3? to shaft Young. Is this guy as bad an apple as his boy Gabe Pruitt? He seems very talented, but if I had to guess I'd say his head isn't screwed on right.

[GreenDreamer]

I agree with most of what has been said here. I do not agree that Doc has stopped coaching this team. You are just seeing how truly bad he is now. Without our dominnant defense (coached by Tom) covering up for the pathetic offense (coached by Doc), you actually get to experience how awful his system is. He is still coaching the team his way. That is the problem.

[return2glory]

I agree with most of what has been said here. I do not agree that Doc has stopped coaching this team. You are just seeing how truly bad he is now. Without our dominnant defense (coached by Tom) covering up for the pathetic offense (coached by Doc), you actually get to experience how awful his system is. He is still coaching the team his way. That is the problem.

GreenDreamer I agree about Doc. I've never thought of him as a good coach. I still remember the game 7 vs the Pacers at home. We lost by over 30.

Tom T. and good players and a good GM have helped make Doc look good. Doc Rivers is a great guy but an average coach.

[theman]

So...basically you are saying we need a healthy Marquis Daniels back.

[return2glory]

So...basically you are saying we need a healthy Marquis Daniels back.

Daniels can't spread the floor. He does have 3 point range. But if Daniels and Tony Allen can drive to the basket and get easy baskets and create for others, that can work too.