Celtics are looking scarier by the minute- add "googs"

[EricaLubarsky]

Celts sign up vet Gugliotta
By Mark Murphy
Tuesday, August 17, 2004



Radical surgery on his left knee has prevented Tom Gugliotta from looking at his career in typical season-to-season terms.

Two-and-a-half years ago, the one-time All-Star began a grueling recovery that culminated in an encouraging late-season run with Utah last spring. Danny Ainge, who once coached the 34-year-old power forward in Phoenix, is banking on Gugliotta's Utah showing as the sign of a late-career renaissance. That, anyway, was the theme when the Celtics director of basketball operations introduced Gugliotta, who yesterday signed a one-year deal with the Celtics for the veteran's minimum of $1.6 million. Though his primary role has been as a power forward, the 6-foot-10 Gugliotta characterized himself as a player who can contribute in all three frontcourt positions. `I've guarded all three positions,'' he said. `The way offenses are being run these days, (small forwards and power forwards) are basically the same. Positions are less important than they were 15 years ago.''
Ainge concurred. ``He's very competitive and very instinctive,'' Ainge said. ``He's a great rebounder. There were times when I put him on guys like Vince Carter, and he would be the most effective person in that role for us.'' Ainge said he was satisfied with Gugliotta's play in Utah that the forward has finally come back from left knee surgery. Gugliotta needed reconstructive surgery after tearing three ligaments. ``I was lucky enough to have had two great doctors who rebuilt my knee,'' Gugliotta said. ``But then the problem was that I came back a little too soon, after just seven months. My knee was fine, but the rest of my body was behind. So the last two-and-a-half years have been a matter of re-training my body. I ran into a few lesser injuries along the way.
``But right now is the best I've felt since prior to my knee injury.''

Though Gugliotta said he selected the Celtics over a number of other teams, including Minnesota and Portland, because of a better chance to play, he stopped short of assuming that he will receive a lion's share of playing time. ``I don't want anyone to promise me minutes,'' he said. ``Minutes have to be earned.'' Even so, Gugliotta said he is capable of contributing ``20 to 35 minutes'' per game, if needed. His brief experience with Utah showed that much. ``When I was stuck in Phoenix the last two years, I got to the point where I didn't want to play anymore,'' he said. ``But once I got to Utah, I played fairly well. The bottom line is I stayed hungry.''

[Big Boy Laroux]

i had read he really wanted to go back to minnesota... something about leaving there being the biggest mistake of his life.

[Evilmav2]

I'm sure Googs and Raef will get to become great friends this year, hanging out and commiserating while rehabbing their broken bodies, and getting to attend and watch all the games together in street clothes...

[RocketFan11]

Originally posted by: Big Boy Laroux
i had read he really wanted to go back to minnesota... something about leaving there being the biggest mistake of his life.

He left Minny to get away from Stephon Marbury. Before promptly being reunited with him in Phoenix.

Marbury tends to do that... Same thing happened in NY, with Keith Van Horn. Very strange.

[NBAGnome]

Celtics looking scary? The only thing they've done right is their draft really. They had three mid to late round picks, Al Jefferson, Delonte West, Tony Allen. As far as summer league has gone they all are looking like good picks.

Al Jefferson in particular is looking like a promising player, just out of high school, 6-10 265 power forward with a low post game and good physical attributes. He could develop very quickly because he has a nba body.

West and Allen also could be decent, but Jefferson was their real good pick i think, in a couple years he could very well pan out to should have been in the top 6 of that draft.

Adding Payton? Not a big deal...it'll maybe make them a tad more competitive for...a year or two? And thats just a best case scenario, it could very well have netted them nothing when he retires, or he could have ran out of gas in the tank. Fox is retiring most likely. I think they should of kept Mihm contrary to many peoples opinions, he showed some good flashes last year actually, especially in Cleveland in a stretch where he was filling in for a injured Boozer. But it was a contract year for him and i don't know if hes worth signing for a rebuilding team like that.

Googs is another aged unproven (lately) vet that won't help them much or at best will help them a little for only a year or two.

Celtics had a good draft, and are still building with young talent. They didn't make any moves that are going to make them better significantly this year. They have the X factor of a number of promising players, one or two of which could have a impact year.

All in all, if they make the playoffs they aren't in the same tier as the Pistons, Heat, and Pacers and will exit early.

[Sinn Fein]

Originally posted by: NBAGnome
Celtics looking scary? The only thing they've done right is their draft really. They had three mid to late round picks, Al Jefferson, Delonte West, Tony Allen. As far as summer league has gone they all are looking like good picks.

Al Jefferson in particular is looking like a promising player, just out of high school, 6-10 265 power forward with a low post game and good physical attributes. He could develop very quickly because he has a nba body.

West and Allen also could be decent, but Jefferson was their real good pick i think, in a couple years he could very well pan out to should have been in the top 6 of that draft.

Adding Payton? Not a big deal...it'll maybe make them a tad more competitive for...a year or two? And thats just a best case scenario, it could very well have netted them nothing when he retires, or he could have ran out of gas in the tank. Fox is retiring most likely. I think they should of kept Mihm contrary to many peoples opinions, he showed some good flashes last year actually, especially in Cleveland in a stretch where he was filling in for a injured Boozer. But it was a contract year for him and i don't know if hes worth signing for a rebuilding team like that.

Googs is another aged unproven (lately) vet that won't help them much or at best will help them a little for only a year or two.

Celtics had a good draft, and are still building with young talent. They didn't make any moves that are going to make them better significantly this year. They have the X factor of a number of promising players, one or two of which could have a impact year.

All in all, if they make the playoffs they aren't in the same tier as the Pistons, Heat, and Pacers and will exit early.

Sarcasm really must be a lost art.

[NBAGnome]

Yeah i should of realized that [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] lol. Oh well.