I still believe we're one big man away from being an elite team or a very good team at the very least.
Why?
1. Collins is just a 2nd or 3rd string Center but he's starting out of necessity.
2. Every time Bass comes in, bad things happen.
Let's elaborate.
If we get an Amare, Pau Gasol, Gortat, Big Al, or Cousins to replace Bass and move Collins back to 3rd string, the Celts will automatically get points in the paint and rebounding.
Still not convinced?
Let's break down what happened against the Griz tonight.
When Collins was in the game, it was like the Celts were playing 4 on 5. No offensive production and rebounding from Collins. But Collins does a good job defending the paint.
Then in comes Bass. When he comes in, opposing bigs take advantage of him in the paint. They just score over him. Then when he gets the ball in the paint, he has to take it back out or kick it out because he can't shoot over the taller bigs. He's also just a decent defender. So the only time Bass contributes is when he's making those perimeter jumpers.
So there you have it, it's not really as bad as we think.
One big man can make a big difference. Maybe going to the Finals is a stretch, but at least not a 1st round exit.
And who knows what will happen if the Celts make it to the 2nd round of the playoffs. The Celts were supposed to lose to the Cavs in the 2nd round in 2010, right?
