All Star Break - Can we all back away from the cliff?

[R Howe <regmanw6@xxxxxxxxx>]

It is the All star break and my beloved Celts are in a total funk in need of some love. New GM changing playing philosophies, trades, suspensions, coach quitting on team replaced by a place holder coach, local and national sports pundits in a feeding frenzy. Man we all (players, Celts management, and fans) sure need this break to catch our collective breath, open our eyes and step away from edge. 
 
We are in strange territory as we head into the all-Star break. We have practically a whole new roster with the only major exceptions of Pierce, Waltah and Baker.... well.... like I said with the exceptions of Pierce and Waltah. Our play has gone down the tubes since Obie walked out that door. I guess part of him must be saying to Ainge & Co. see I told you so. Yet I am not ready to say all is lost or asking for Danny's head. I have supported in principal most of Danny's moves and direction to date, and still due. I did not anticipate the team laying down like my old Basset Hound, giving into excuses instead of banding together against... media, Management ... whoever. I expected some toughness but maybe the Obie thing left them rudderless, after all it was his ability to harness the players into a team that was his strength ( not his X/Os or working w/management in this case) sometimes you just get caught up in the turmoil and let it distract you from what you truly can control, in
 the case of our talented but rudderless cast of players, they can only control their play and opportunities before them, yet all this stuff is definitely distracting them.
 
Strange though, we still are in the playoffs as of this date (barely) yet also about 8-9th position in the lottery, such is the life of being in the EC. Unless the team quickly stops feeling sorry for itself and someone steps up and starts to assert some leadership then in two weeks time we will be looking at the closed door of the 8th and final playoff spot. I think the latter will be the case, or equally possible of our continued floundering, will be that some team in the rear view mirror will catch fire and take that spot. I hope not but...
 
So why am I still on board with our direction as a franchise? And Danny? Let me count the ways.
 
1. We still have a top 10 talent coming into his prime in Pierce.
2. 2 # 1 draft picks coming after what I consider a pretty decent crop from last year.
3. Yiri looks to be a solid inexpensive player. next year should be even better. good defender.
4. Mihm, young, great and active on the boards, will learn how to stay out of foul trouble soon enough. 
5. Banks next year will be a joy to watch, great defender right now.
6. Not sure about Davis yet, will he ever be more than a super talented showman or want to get serious, I think with leadership he could be harnessed, but who will harness him currently? not Pierce! Not the current coach! Either way he is tradable for talent.
7. Next year we should have Lafrentz to go along with Mihm, maybe Blount, Hunter, Perkins, maybe a mid exception pickup, with a decent coach not a bad front court in the making for the EC.
8. The baker saga ends, along with a possibility that the contract albatross goes away to some extent also. Hopefully this represents a turn around for our good guys that we have so long waited for. I can hope cant I?
9. A new respected, competent coach that will be a clean break from the prior regime. One that will partner with embattled Ainge. 
 
All in All the future is not as bad as we seem to think considering our troubles of the moment. the deck has been shuffled for better or for worse. I for one did not think tinkering around the edges would have worked long term, would we be in better playoff position at this moment? you bet. The 3s would have been raining, and we would never have known what we would have had with the exception of Pierce and Walker. I had had enough of that unwatchable style. I did not think we had enough talent or if we did it would never have surfaced as Walker referred this Fall "in the end it will all come down to Pierce and himself" or something to that effect. I think we could have gotten something better for him & Delk if we had waited, but how much better than a true mobile (if healthy)power forward, A young solid swing man and a #1? And who? only player I would think of would have been Rahime? I like getting younger talented players in Davis and Mihm in return for EWill (who's leadership will
 be replaced by a mid level FA) and Battie (though for OB system w/Walker was pretty good). In general we have gotten more athletic and younger with more flexibility going forward. Still more work to be done for sure, and hopefully in the second half the C's can become more focused and stop the bleeding. But even if that doesn't happen through the travails you will be able to see the true keepers of the bunch and go from there into the draft and next year.
 
Still "in the cart" C's fan
 
Go Celts     
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