Re: Future celtics success

[pio@edu15.coe.ufl.edu (mark piotrowski)]

>Mafiaso asked the same question before I; is everyone taking a break from
>the subject?  To possibly spark some interest, I'll comment on a heated
>discussion a sports-fan friend and I had recently about the likely
>rejuvenated Celtics.  I bet him that he could name 3 teams to win and 7 to
>make the NBA finals, before the Celtics regained their storied
>championship success.  Essentially the C's would compete, and or win a
>17th title before any other except the mentioned teams, 3 winners and 7
>competitors did.  This is how sure I am of the ability to turn this
>franchise around and regain dominance.  My friend and I have known each
>other for well over 20 years, and can stick out the length it could take
>to see this friendly bet through.  My hope and expectation of course is
>that the Celtics will make me the winner of this bet in the next 2 to 4
>years.  I believe the league could go through tremendous parity cycles,
>with onset of the salary cap/rookie contract/free agent free for all that
>could ensue in the next few years.  Anyway here are the teams my friend
>chose, of which I disagree on only one.
>
>To win a championship before the Celtics:
>Chicago (duh!)
>LA (We hate to admit)
>Miami (Because of Riley only)
>
>To make the NBA finals before the Celtics:
>(In addition to the above teams)
>New York (While on Ewing's last legs)
>Utah (They will return strong)
>Seattle (If the team can play as a team)
>Detroit (They appear to be headed in the right direction with Hill)


I'd have to say:
Champs:
Bulls
Knicks
Spurs
Lakers

Finals
Miami
Detroit

I think it will take the Celtics 4 years to return to the finals, 5 to win.
Therefore:

97-98
Bulls* vs. spurs
(I think the spurs beat out Utah (b/c of injuries) and Seattle (b/c of lack
of a big man), Chicago plunges to the depths of the league w/o jordan,
pippen, rodman and jackson

98-99
NY* vs. LA
NY barely beats out Miami, LA beats Spurs b/c of better backcourt

99-00
Miami vs. spurs*
Miami beats out Detroit (Brian Williams is overated and gets eaten alive by
Mourning), NY crumbles w/o Ewing, Celts make it to conf. semis; Spurs beat
out LA to avenge last year.  Spurs have too much up front for Miami (Corey
Alexander matches an aging Tim Hardaway)

00-01
Detroit vs. LA*
W/ the spurs loosing Robinson or Duncan, LA returns to the finals against
Detroit, who beats the C's en route back to the finals.

01-02
Celtics vs. LA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Back to normal in the NBA)

***Of course all of this will be thrown off by what Pheonix does next
summer, and where Pippen signs on next summer.***