Wow. David West now newest Celtic

dboss wrote:Does anyone know what condition JON is in?

Actually, I've that he was feeling pretty good.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1387073&srvc=sports&position=recent

Let's see how long JON goes before all his injuries start popping up again. He
claims he is in the best condition he has been in for the past couple of years,
but, let's face it, his knees are bone on bone. To me it is just a matter of time
before he hits the injured list. I hope not, he could be a big help, especially in
keeping KG out of that 5 spot. I would rather see him play his own position
and get another backup. Seems Centers are hard to come by this year, especially when you have no money to give them.

Too bad we had to lose West trying to get him on the cheap. However, I don't mind losing him to Larry Bird. After all, without Larry, the Celts would only have 14 banners and be behind the Lakers. Thank God the Lakers didn't buy him away from the Celts! Can we get Charles Oakley, or Patrick Ewing to come out of retirement? What's 'Sheed doing now?

MD!

JON claims he's feeling no pain. That's a very good sign.

As far as "bone on bone" goes, Rosalie, Kobe has no cartilage in his knees either, and yet he gets up and down the court just fine. Pro athletes have to play with pain and, when there isn't...

Either way, even a healthy JON in the prime of his career needs to sit down sometime. We need a backup 5. Stiesma? Wilcox? Bass? I'd love to have someone more legit than them (although Stiesma in particular might surprise me).

bob

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You know, I wonder about those "bone on bone" and "no cartilage" reports. Having worn out cartilage myself and having parents and in-laws who actually were/are in the bone-on-bone category, I cannot believe that an athlete could function with that. It's difficult to walk, let alone play basketball. Arthritic changes, yes, degraded cartilage, okay, but actual bone on bone?

Does anyone have reliable information about this?

I guess I just don't trust him with his injury history. I actually enjoyed watching him play during the playoffs last year. He showed he still has something left to offer. Unless we were trading for a young, healthy center I
see no reason to get rid of him. It seems there are very few "bigs" out there. I just don't want KG playing center too often, though I am sure there will be times he will have to. Maybe Wilcox and KG would be on the floor at the same time then.

It is going to be an interesting season. I am ready to just have Danny sign
a free agent or two, and leave the rest of the team in tact for now. Let's see what the shortened season will bring. There are at least two spots open, one for a shooter and as far as I can tell, another big. Am I right
there?

Rosalie

Rosalie,

My questioning the bone-on-bone situation doesn't mean I don't think JON doesn't have issues. You're absolutely correct -- with his history, there's no way to expect him to play every game. Since 2004-05, he's averaged less than 53 games a year. All the back-to-backs this year will be tough on him. If he plays 40 of the 66 games, that would be outstanding.

I think you're correct about the roster -- another shooter, and another center would be ideal.

Outside

I think in general the Celtics should just try to make sure to make it to the playoffs as one of the top4 teams and other than that just rest players as much as possible, the second round of the playoffs is going to be hard no matter what.

For this team health will trump home court by a longshot.

If you play a good team on the second night of a back2back and they are fresh it is probably not even worth trying to be honest. I think managing the health and freshness of the team will get them much further than a top record.

swedeinestonia wrote:I think in general the Celtics should just try to make sure to make it to the playoffs as one of the top4 teams and other than that just rest players as much as possible, the second round of the playoffs is going to be hard no matter what.

For this team health will trump home court by a longshot.

If you play a good team on the second night of a back2back and they are fresh it is probably not even worth trying to be honest. I think managing the health and freshness of the team will get them much further than a top record.

Rosalee totally agree,

Let the bench play excessive minutes in the second of Back to backs............... 3 reasons 1) for the rest of the "older starters" 2) to give the others a decent look and get in the mix. Might need them down the road.. and 3) perhaps if a couple do well it jacks up their trade value to boot!

David West is 31 - coming off MAJOR ACL surgery and would rather play in Indiana than Boston?

Good luck to him and getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs, per usual.

I read where the Pacers were going to use the amnesty clause on James Posey. So much for everyone chastising Danny for not giving him 4 years.
I really haven't followed him much in the last year, does he have much left
in the tank? He has to be at least 35, so it was a good move on Bird's part, but now he has a 31 year old forward with a knee that could blow at any time, and he gave him four years. ?

I will say, Posey would have been nice to have on the bench last year and the year before, but, I still side with Danny on this call. Who could have known this amnesty clause would be around this year.

I also think the Celtics used Posey somewhat differently than the Hornets and Indiana did.

The Celtics him as a situational/role player whereas it seems that they expected him to be more "self standing" on the Hornets and the Pacers. He is/was a guy who could defend well and hit an open 3 but on those teams is there really "need" for that? That is kind of beyond the surviving basics that at least Pacers are doing, it is a luxury thing for a contender, not a team trying to make the playoffs.

With those obvious things being said who knows how much he has left, I probably would not judge his numbers too much considering they did not use him the same way the Celtics would/did.

Regardless of what Posey's done or hasn't done since '07-'08, he was a perfect fit in Boston with the C's. He was tough and took no stuff from any one and was an intimidator defensively. Offensively, his, and Eddie House's back-2-back 3 pointers late in the first quarter on 6/17/08 snapped the spine of Kobe and the Lakers en route to Banner # 17. Posey was never justly rewarded by Wyc or Danny for his contributions to that title. That and letting Perkins go have haunted Boston lo these last 3 seasons! Posey certainly fit much better than the glove Johnny Cochran had OJ display before Judge Itto & the jury.

MD!

IMHO Posey was offered a good sum of money and multiple years for a BENCH, role player. He went to greener pastures that we COULD not afford to match.

The Perk deal certainly can be questioned but I have no issue with letting Posey go.

beat