Biggest Surprise this Season?

[Bases Loaded]

What/who has surprised you the most in this season the year of our Lord 2008, Chinese year of the rat, 4705?

To me it's Danny Ainge and the way he has changed how our franchise is viewed completely in less than a month. We went from the franchise that you couldn't pay people enough to come to all the way to the franchise that veterans will boycott their team and take pay cuts to be a part of. The roster he has managed to put together in this salary cap era is remarkable, and while I'll admit I wanted to run the guy out of town last year he has sure made up for it with his shrewd moves. I think he has gotten credit for the talent that he has put together but I don't think he has gotten enough credit for the atmosphere he has managed to build by attracting quality characters and class acts. From Paul Pierce to Ray Allen to Kevin Garnett to Leon Powe to Sam Cassell to Big Baby, everyone is well liked by their peers and the chemistry seems to be there already and will only continue to build up. He pretty much quadrupled the price of Celtics tickets over one offseason (really, I could get nose bleeds for $8 last season, this year they go for $35-40 a piece if you can get em)

[superchief]

Ainge actually doing something constructive for the team in the offseason was a surprise. Up until last year, I think he made poor decisions with the personell. We weren't too far removed from a team good enough to make it to the East Con. finals against the Nets a few years ago, and was disgusted with him when he basically traded on that team away. Then he trades away Antoine Walker, and then trades to get him back. I was like WTF?? I still didn't trust him when he traded our draft pick to get Ray Allen, but of course that was all a plan to eventually get Garnett.

However, having said all that, I think our defense playing as well as they are now is the biggest surprise to me, and it all has to do with the adding Garnett, and Perkins playing well in the middle. Been awhile since we had a solid guy at center. What everybody has to realize is that Boston has always been a good shooting team, but it was defense were they were lacking. Just needed to defend the ball better from last season, and them being good enough to maybe make the finals, doesn't surprise me at all.

[groganfan]

Ainge actually doing something constructive for the team in the offseason was a surprise. Up until last year, I think he made poor decisions with the personell. We weren't too far removed from a team good enough to make it to the East Con. finals against the Nets a few years ago, and was disgusted with him when he basically traded on that team away. Then he trades away Antoine Walker, and then trades to get him back. I was like WTF?? I still didn't trust him when he traded our draft pick to get Ray Allen, but of course that was all a plan to eventually get Garnett.

However, having said all that, I think our defense playing as well as they are now is the biggest surprise to me, and it all has to do with the adding Garnett, and Perkins playing well in the middle. Been awhile since we had a solid guy at center. What everybody has to realize is that Boston has always been a good shooting team, but it was defense were they were lacking. Just needed to defend the ball better from last season, and them being good enough to maybe make the finals, doesn't surprise me at all.

You're an idiot superchief! :icon_fU:

[3 Point Stan]

I also have to go with defense. I certainly expected a vast improvement - but I didn't expect this.

[Grogan's neck roll]

While I love the D, I'd have to say overall chemistry, who knew they would come together so quickly and completely. I thought they'd play well together eventually, but not this well and not from the get go as they did.

[Bases Loaded]

While I love the D, I'd have to say overall chemistry, who knew they would come together so quickly and completely. I thought they'd play well together eventually, but not this well and not from the get go as they did.

Yeah that really surprised me too. Defense isn't as big a surprise to me, I know the "experts" cited that as one of their causes for concern, but I knew Pierce and Perk and Rondo and KG could all defend well, especially in big games where they are motivated to do so. But who would have thought that we would gel as a team so quickly?! At one point early on this season we were on pace with the infamous 70 win Bulls. I couldn't believe it ... and it's great because we can only gain more chemistry with time. I am scared for the rest of the league come playoff time and next season too - hell we may even go undefeated, lol.

[Patti37]

The biggest surprised to me has been the bench. I bought into all the crap the experts were saying about the lack of depth and its ability. On top of that I was not really familiar with the players that Danny brought in.

They have been a very pleasant surprise.