Sanyarin wrote:
I agree that KG had to be frustrated and desperate for wins. And I haven't thought once that he is on the downside of his career. I believe that he still has a lot left. And I wish the best for him in Boston. But again, he is not the one that I was thinking of when starting this thread.

I am sorry if it appeared as if I was critiziing MWithers for doubting KG. I was just refering to \"people\" whose blog entries or comments or whatsoever I have read on the internet.

I was just thinking when we talk about the injury risks in Boston already, this would be the right place to break up some cudgels for KG as well !

Sanyarin wrote:
Yeah, this is the perfect place for that. I have also heard a lot about Garnett. I think that he has a great opportunity in Boston. I have posted an article in my KG section relating to his workouts and the fact that he is working harder than ever. I think this year will be his greatest year ever. He will be the MVP this year, I have no doubt. Hopefully, he can win it all with the Celtics, though.

I agree with you Withers, I think KG has a great chance to be MVP. That would be my pre-season bet.

He's a lock if the Celtics win 55-60 games and have one of the top 2 seeds in the East.

College Wolf wrote:


Definitely a lock with 55-60 games, I agree.

I think KG will have an excellent year in Boston as well, but I am not so sure about the MVP thing, since I expect his numbers to drop a little now playing besides the two other scoring options and hopefully given some more rest over the course of the season.

And in his first MVP Season 03-04, he had produced arguably the best season of his career statistically, albeit playing besides Spree and Cassell. I highly doubt that the voters will choose anyone of the Big 3 for MVP even if Boston tears up the Eastern Conference, just because they will pressume they feed of each other much like Stockalone did, and thus it would be unfair to single one of them out.

But I do hope on a Finals MVP for KG...this seems a lot more thinkable to me !

KG, Pierce, and Allen are all probably a bit past their absolute \"peak\", however I'd say all are still in their \"prime\".

Having such a balanced 3-man attach should help lift their games due to the decreased defensive pressure, so it wouldn't surprise me to see some career highs or close to it from them. I think the Celtics are too shallow to win it all this year against a Phoenix or San Antonio. But I do believe the road to the 2009 title runs through Boston.

Thank you Derok! You said exactly what I was thinking but unable to communicate. Well done!!

Sanyarin wrote:





I agree with that. While I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have KG be the MVP in Boston, I don't know if that's a realistic expectation, as Sanyarin mentioned his numbers may dip slightly because of the talent now around KG. It may be more of a sum of the parts sort of deal rather than one individual shining consistently.

whiskeydizzy wrote:
KG's points could go down, but I could easily see his rebounds and assists going UP. He could average 14 rebounds per game next season. I mean, who else is gonna rebound for them? Perkins? Scalabrine? (lol) Pollard? Plus, he should have easy kick outs to PP34 and Ray Allen for mucho assists. I'm thinking like 21, 14, 6. Not out of the question... and definitely MVP material.

@ College Wolf:
Well, I guess there are arguments to be found for both of our assumptions ! While I would agree that KG's assists might go up, I doubt that he will improve his rebounding numbers.

First:
He had been the lonely rebounding force on the T-Wolves for years, why should his numbers go up if he was in the same situation in Boston? That could only happen if there were more rebounds to grab in total and with a shooter like Allen, at least the OffRebs available will surely decrease.

Second:
Both Pierce and Allen, who will probably spend as much time on the court as KG, are solid rebounders, and both Rondo and Posey are no duds as well for the position they play. Kendrick Perkins might be no rebounding machine, but at least he is not allergic to them like one certain Mark Blount. And there have been times when Scott \"Sideburns\" Pollard was a beast on the boards. If his back is truly better this year, he could snatch some rebounds as well. Thus, I am not that sure that KG will have to do ALL the reboundig work like with the Wolves.

Third:
Like I said above: I dearly hope that with the other two scoring options (Pierce, Allen) on board, KG will play fewer minutes than with the Wolves, especially early in the season. The Celts, who are expecting to go at least to the Conference Finals if not to the really big stage, would be braindead if they put KG on the field 40 minutes per night. But with more rest, he will have less opportunity to grab boards.

Result:
That is why I expect both KG's scoring as his rebounding averages to drop at least in the regular season. Combined with the \"do not pick one of the three over the other ones\" idea of mine. I stay put that he will not win the regular season MVP. But I expect him, if reasonably rested as I hope for, to really switch on the afterburner in the playoffs, averaging MVP worthy numbers for sure. But if this will be enough to win Finals MVP (meaning the desired ring in the first place)...I doubt it...but it is at least more thinkable to me.

College Wolf wrote:
I am going to agree with you on this one. I don't think his points will go down. I actually think that they will go up without the double team every possession.

Sanyarin wrote:
I forgot to mention, being in the East will make it infinitely easier on KG in terms of rebounding. That's the main reason as to why he'll have better rebounding numbers.

@ College Wolf
You have an argument with being in the Eastern Conference I haven't thought about so far. Good point! Although I do not know if it would be thaaat much easier to rule the boards facing of against the two O'Neals (or at least one, if the Diesel does not play), Bosh, Howard, Sheed and Ben as it was mixing it up with Timmy D, Stoudemire, Brand and Boozer.

College Wolf wrote:
I don't really believe that being in the East will have that much of an impact on his rebounding numbers. I think that being on the court with Blount definitely raised the possibilities of getting boards. I also think that Boston will have more of a triangle offense and that will bring more rebounds to KG.