I see your Rondo, Allen and Pierce and raise you Rose,Gordon,Salmons

Rondo > Rose. At least right now. Rondo has the playoff experience, and should exploit Rose's lack of D.

 

Allen > Gordon. Again, playoff experience. And he shoots a better percentage from the floor.

 

And Pierce is easily better than Salmons. Paul Pierce was the best player in the playoffs last season. He'll shut down the opposing teams' best defensive player and be a force on the offensive end.

 

I just like the Celtics in this series, because the Bulls haven't proven that they can shut down anyone defensively yet.

Rondo > Rose. At least right now. Rondo has the playoff experience, and should exploit Rose's lack of D.

 

Allen > Gordon. Again, playoff experience. And he shoots a better percentage from the floor.

 

And Pierce is easily better than Salmons. Paul Pierce was the best player in the playoffs last season. He'll shut down the opposing teams' best defensive player and be a force on the offensive end.

 

I just like the Celtics in this series, because the Bulls haven't proven that they can shut down anyone defensively yet.

Ben Gordon has minimal playoff experience?

 

I think playoff experience is a ridiculously overrated concept though.

Ben Gordon has minimal playoff experience?

 

I think playoff experience is a ridiculously overrated concept though.

Well I guess NBA Finals experience, and that Allen is a more experienced player.

 

I don't think Gordon can stop him defensively (although nitetrain will probably disagree).

Well I guess NBA Finals experience, and that Allen is a more experienced player.

 

I don't think Gordon can stop him defensively (although nitetrain will probably disagree).

I don't think something like that is a factor in any way whatsoever.

Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah are better than anything else the Celtics can replace Garnett with.

Also, worth noting is the fact that the 8th seed Atlanta Hawks last year, who frankly I think the Bulls are a better team than them...took the Celtics to 7 games by holding home court.

Rondo

Allen=Gordon

Pierce > Salmons

 

 

Tyrus Thomas ,Noah,Hinrich,Miller,Tim Thomas >> Perkins,House,Davis,Powe,Marbury,Allen,Moore

 

This is shaping up to be the least competitive playoffs ever. The Lakers can basically sleepwalk to the finals. And with it looking like Garnett will be out, the Cavs can do the same thing. Kobe vs Lebron in the finals. You know Stern and co are busting leaks in their shorts with this almost certain happening.

Not sure if I feel confident enough in the Bulls to win the series. But I know this team is better than the Atlanta team who took a healthy Celtics squad to 7. Boston's gonna have their work cut out for them. I'll be satisifed with the Bulls losing in 7. I'll be ecstatic if they could actually pull it out.

This is shaping up to be the least competitive playoffs ever. The Lakers can basically sleepwalk to the finals. And with it looking like Garnett will be out, the Cavs can do the same thing. Kobe vs Lebron in the finals. You know Stern and co are busting leaks in their shorts with this almost certain happening.

I am too, to be honest. I would love to see that matchup.

Rondo At best, it's equal... right now Rondo is better

Allen=Gordon No

Pierce > Salmons Yes

 

 

Tyrus Thomas ,Noah,Hinrich,Miller,Tim Thomas >> Perkins,House,Davis,Powe,Marbury,Allen,Moore

 

I am too, to be honest. I would love to see that matchup.

 

As am I. And I'm nowhere near into the NBA as I used to be. But it's never a good thing when you can basically call the finals with 99.9% certainty.

Talk to me after a few games in the series Steve, I stand by my post.

I see a lot of free throws in that Finals.

I challenge you to compare Rose and Rondo , and Gordon and Allen.

 

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ben_gordon/

 

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/derrick_rose/

 

Use the Yellow Box in the profiles to compare them with Allen and Rondo.

 

 

 

and if you really have time on your hands, look at the splits on Rondo and Allen, before and after KG got hurt.

 

 

The Celts are a 16-8 team without KG.

 

The Bulls are 15-8 in their last 23 .

 

The difference is that the guards on the Celtics actually play some defense, which shifts things in their favor. Rondo and Allen could easily get 40 a game (combined obviously) in the series, especially since they will be getting more minutes than in the regular season.

The difference is that the guards on the Celtics actually play some defense, which shifts things in their favor. Rondo and Allen could easily get 40 a game (combined obviously) in the series, especially since they will be getting more minutes than in the regular season.

 

The last 10 games have not been the Celts best effort on D. I would say KG has a little to do with that. Their collective defense takes a major hit as well as their offense. The series is not as lopsided as some would suggest.

The last 10 games have not been the Celts best effort on D. I would say KG has a little to do with that. Their collective defense takes a major hit as well as their offense. The series is not as lopsided as some would suggest.

 

I'm not saying the Celtics will roll, but it's not like they're totally screwed now that Garnett is out either. They still have a very good perimeter trio that can light up the Bulls' highly suspect perimeter D, and it's not like you need to be a superstar to get buckets inside either. I'd still take the Celtics in 6, they Bulls either need Rose to go into superstar mode or Tyrus and Noah have to have a decided edge inside in the majority of the games (I can really only see that happening in about 3 since neither can really create their own shot).

Rondo is a better defensive PG than Rose at this stage of there careers, and I don't know if Rose can keep up with Rondo.

 

I think the Bulls may have to use Hinrich quite a bit in this series.

Rondo is a better defensive PG than Rose at this stage of there careers, and I don't know if Rose can keep up with Rondo.

 

I think the Bulls may have to use Hinrich quite a bit in this series.

 

Well Rose doesn't have to worry about shutting down Rondo. Rondo shuts down him self on offense. Sure, he has a good fg%, but he does not seem comfortable in being a scorer (even without kg). Might as well send his ass to the FT line too, that is his biggest weakness. Make Rondo score, double team Pierce most of the game and let some of the 4-8 players stop us. Obviously, I left out Allen. I think he may be a problem. Just not for 7 straight games, but enough for the Celts to win in 6.

 

 

Oh, and here is Rondo trying to shut down Rose

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyClJY0qSF4

I'm not saying the Celtics will roll, but it's not like they're totally screwed now that Garnett is out either. They still have a very good perimeter trio that can light up the Bulls' highly suspect perimeter D, and it's not like you need to be a superstar to get buckets inside either. I'd still take the Celtics in 6, they Bulls either need Rose to go into superstar mode or Tyrus and Noah have to have a decided edge inside in the majority of the games (I can really only see that happening in about 3 since neither can really create their own shot).

 

Gotta agree with everything you said here.

The news of Garnett sitting out definitely changes things. Could make this a series. I still favor the Celts, but the Bulls have enough to take 'em to the brink like the Hawks did last year.

I guess losing yesterday was a good thing. No Garnett = better chance for the Bulls to make this series entertaining. I doubt they'll win, but it should be good.

Bulls have a chance.

 

Rose = Rondo (Rose is the better player, but the inconsistency in his play will play a huge role)

Gordon = Allen (Both have different ways of scoring with the 3pointer being the biggest. It's going to be a matter of who blinks first because both could put up points in a hurry. I do think Ben is a better defensive player, but Allen plays in a better defensive system if that makes sense. Either way, I don't see either one stopping each other. I will say that Gordon has a stronger likelihood of taking over games than Allen these days)

PP > Salmons (Salmons is hurt and that groin is really bothering him. If the Bulls can get 15-17ppg from Salmons, I'll consider that a blessing)

 

Rest of Bulls > Rest of Celtics (Now it matters how much better the rest of our team could be. I give our bench the edge, but they are tougher inside which means we could get knocked around. Is the rest of our squad good enough to make up for the difference and then some of how good Pierce is over Salmons in their current state? That's the huge question.)

 

I am so pumped for the playoffs. The blackhawks being in the playoffs are nice, but the Bulls have me way more excited.