Re: [Celtics' Stuff ] Ainge Is Facing A Nightmarish Scenario

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 09:22 AM 3/2/2004, W/H wrote:

>First of all, no sub-.500 team should ever be in the playoffs. It's a
>sport's
>disgrace.

Really?  I listed the teams from 1946-1989 (including the ABA) that made 
the playoffs with losing records--the whole list is at the end of the post 
for anyone interested.  Basically, there were only SIX seasons in which 
every playoff team had a winning record.  The time frame encompasses just 
about every playoff format ever used short of picking teams at random.  It 
includes times when there were a handful of teams and more recent times 
with over-expansion.  annoying, perhaps, but hardly a disgrace.


>Secondly,  a draft pick isn't just a draft pick. It's a trade
>commodity.
>Those poor misguided folks who see no problem with the Celtics
>making the playoffs and having the 15th selection in the draft, miss
>out on the
>fact that a Lottery pick has a lot more of a trade return than a Mid-
>Level
>draft choice.  Ainge for instance could whip up a package deal of
>the Lottery pick, Davis, et al., and one of the Bigs and get back
>some type of
>All-Star in return. The 15th pick?  Much more difficult to do so.
>It's a lot easier for a GM to sell his Ownership and Fans of a trade
>of an All-Star player, when a Lottery Pick is involved. Lottery picks
>are
>inheritantly more Sexy in fans and ownership's eyes than middle of
>the
>first-rounders.

Paul Pierce, anyone?  Give me a break, W/H--we're practically drafting 
children now.  To my mind, these High School kids in the upper levels of 
the draft are inherently more risky than someone a bit further down where 
there's less guesswork involved in determining if they'll be able to do 
what you need them to do.

>Thirdly, teams do move up in the Lottery. Charlotte farther down in
>the
>Lottery than the Celtics were in a past draft, moved up to the third
>pick and got All-Star Baron Davis.
>
>Fourthly, that early Celtics second round pick has value, because
>with all
>the Euros and high-schoolers in the draft, someone of a first round
>nature
>may be availabe at 38.
>
>Fifthly, the Celtics in their current stretch, are playing three of
>the worst teams
>in the NBA.  It's not a proper set of opponents to accurately
>evaluate the club.
>Ray

Yes, it is.  Historically over the last four seasons, the C's have had a 
VERY annoying habit of beating teams like the Lakers, then getting their 
butts kicked by the Bulls, or the Wizards.  It's not a mortal lock for the 
playoffs, but it's a good sign when you stomp on the Magic like they should 
be able to do.  given that, the team is certainly playing considerably 
better than even a week ago.

Here's that list--
1946-47 - none
1947-48 - Boston 20-28
1948-49 - Baltimore 29-31, Philadelphia 28-32, St. Louis 29-31
1949-50 - Washington 32-36,  Philadelphia 26-42, Tri-Cities 29-35, 
Sheboygan 22-40
1950-51 - Syracuse 32-34,  Fort Wayne 32-36, Indianapolis 31-37
1951-52 - Fort Wayne 29-37
1952-53 - Baltimore 16-54, Indianapolis 28-43
1953-54 - none
1954-55 - Rochester 29-43
1955-56 - Syracuse 35-37 (won tiebreaker with New York to make playoffs), 
Minneapolis 33-39 (tiebreaker against S. Louis)
1956-57 - St. Louis 34-38, Minneapolis 34-38, Fort Wayne 34-38 (no team in 
the entire Western Division was over .500)
1957-58 - Detroit 33-39, Cincinnati 33-39
1958-59 - Syracuse 35-37, Minneapolis 33-39, Detroit 28-44
1959-60 - Detroit 30-45, Minneapolis 25-50
1960-61 - Syracuse 38-41, Los Angeles 36-43, Detroit 34-45
1961-62 - Detroit 37-43
1962-63 - Detroit 34-46
1963-64 - Philadelphia 34-46
1964-65 - Baltimore 37-43
1965-66 - Baltimore 38-43, St. Louis 36-44
1966-67 - Cincinnati 39-42, New York 36-45, St. Louis 39-42, Los Angeles 
36-45, Chicago 33-48
1967-68 - NBA Detroit 40-42, Chicago 29-53 ABA Indiana 38-40, Kentucky 
36-42 (tiebreaker w New Jersey), Houston 29-49
1968-69 - NBA San Diego 37-45 ABA Minnesota 36-42,
1969-70 - NBA Chicago 39-43, Phoenix 39-43 ABA New York 39-45
1970-71 - NBA Atlanta 36-46 ABA New York 40-44, Floridans 37-47, Memphis 
41-43, Texas 30-54
1971-72 - NBA Baltimore 38-44, Atlanta 36-46 ABA Floridans 36-48, Denver 34-50
1972-73 - NBA none ABA New York 30-54, San Diego 30-54
1973-74 - NBA none ABA Virginia 28-56, San Diego 37-47 (tiebreaker over Denver)
1974-75 - NBA New York 40-42, Detroit 40-42 ABA St. Louis 32-52, Memphis 
27-57, Utah 38-46
1975-76 - NBA Milwaukee 38-44, Detroit 36-46, ABA Indiana 39-45 (final year 
ofABA)
1976-77 - none
1977-78 - none
1978-79 - New Jersey 37-45
1979-80 - Washington 39-43 (tiebreaker over New York), Portland 38-44
1980-81 Kansas city 40-42, Houston 40-42
1981-82 - none
1982-83 - none
1983-84 - Washington 35-47, Atlanta 40-42, Denver 38-44, Kansas City 38-44
1984-85 - Washington 40-42, Chicago 38-44, Cleveland 36-46, Phoenix 36-46
1985-86 - Washington 39-43, New Jersey 39-43, Chicago 30-52, Sacramento 
37-45, San Antonio 35-47, Portland 40-42
1986-87 - Chicago 40-42 Denver 37-45, Seattle 39-43
1987-88 - Washington 38-44, New York 38-44, San Antonio, 31-51
1988-89 - Portland 39-43

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
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