Atlanta is not an optimal matchup and the Cavs loom. Millsap and Horford are tough to deal with but the Hawks' bench other than Schroder is bad. The best chance for Boston is for the second unit to dominate. Both teams are healthy.
I can't imagine Atlanta's second unit getting more than token minutes. That's the playoff disadvantage against deep teams with no back to back games.Atlanta is not an optimal matchup and the Cavs loom. Millsap and Horford are tough to deal with but the Hawks' bench other than Schroder is bad. The best chance for Boston is for the second unit to dominate. Both teams are healthy.
3rd of 4Glass half full here - by somehow getting the worst seed of the 4 teams with identical records, they get the best draft slots. So there's that.
I think he's saying he'd rather have 3, 4, or 6 over 5.3rd of 4
That doesn't equate to the draft slot comment.I think he's saying he'd rather have 3, 4, or 6 over 5.
Draft slots for teams tied are usually determined by coin flip, not playoff seeding. Not sure about how they determine it with four teams tied though, but it will be some sort of random drawing.Glass half full here - by somehow getting the worst seed of the 4 teams with identical records, they get the best draft slots. So there's that.
Please change "glass half full" to "wishful thinking". I looked at Tankathon and that's how they ordered them. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.Draft slots for teams tied are usually determined by coin flip, not playoff seeding. Not sure about how they determine it with four teams tied though, but it will be some sort of random drawing.
Tankathon does its own simulated set of coin flips. "Tiebreaker: On this site, a coin toss is held to decide the order of tied teams."Please change "glass half full" to "wishful thinking". I looked at Tankathon and that's how they ordered them. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
This has been my position all season as well. I had us in the mid-30's fighting for an 8-seed prior to the season which I was clearly off on. The second half of last year carried over and showed it was real. Losing out in the first round for a second year in a row this time to a non-Cav team would confirm to Ainge what he probably already feels in that we aren't close to being a true contender.Glass half full: if Celtics beat Hawks (or it goes 7) AND they don't injure or do anything to really piss off Horford, it should give us a better shot at him this offseason.
Glass half full (part 2): I'm glad we don't have to play the Heat where DWade would be trying to injure IT at every opportunity.
Overall, if we can get out of the first round I will be happy & satisfied and view this as a successful season to build on for next year.
This has been my position all season as well. I had us in the mid-30's fighting for an 8-seed prior to the season which I was clearly off on. The second half of last year carried over and showed it was real. Losing out in the first round for a second year in a row this time to a non-Cav team would confirm to Ainge what he probably already feels in that we aren't close to being a true contender.
Having said that this team is capable of winning a series versus a team like Atlanta. We better be or else we really didn't pick up much if any ground on our EC rivals.
I'm not too discouraged about the upgrade in the 48-34 competition. Atlanta slid back a little bit after last year, but has most of the same talent, a great big man combo in Millsap and Horford and a good point guard in Teague and a promising replacement in Schroder. Charlotte made some impressive advances with Walker emerging and a deep bench, quite like the Celtics, and Miami discovered some unpredicted upside in Whiteside, not to mention plenty of firepower from Bosh, Wade, and Dragic. Where we picked up ground was against Chicago, Indiana, Detroit, Washington, Milwaukee and most of the also-rans we also used to run with.this team is capable of winning a series versus a team like Atlanta. We better be or else we really didn't pick up much if any ground on our EC rivals.
Yes.Dumb question: wife is headed to Vegas next week. Can she throw a bet down on the Celtics to make the finals, two games into the first round?
I'm also going to be in Vegas next week. With the NFL schedule out and the NBA/NHL playoffs starting up, it's going to be a dangerous time.Dumb question: wife is headed to Vegas next week. Can she throw a bet down on the Celtics to make the finals, two games into the first round?
I'm already happy & satisfied with this season. It has been so much fun to watch and they play so hard.Overall, if we can get out of the first round I will be happy & satisfied and view this as a successful season to build on for next year.
The thing is, the playoffs are not just a capstone on this season this year, they are also a recruiting pitch to the free agent class. A successful playoff run, which I'd define as getting to a 6th game against Cleveland, would go a long way toward making the case that we are just one star away from being a championship contender.I'm already happy & satisfied with this season. It has been so much fun to watch and they play so hard.
These are just a few highlights...
- the gutsy road OT win at Charlotte the night after a heartbreaking 2OT loss to the Warriors
- The 14 game home winning streak. Especially the comeback 13th win against the Knicks.
- the Bradley buzzer beater in Cleveland
- the unbelievable Clippers game
- the win in Oakland
- this
Aside from an overpay on Horford (granted every FA contract this summer will be a MASSIVE overpay in comparison to the players on current deals) on the wrong side of 30 who are these stars that would suddenly consider spending their winters in Boston based on a first-round series win?The thing is, the playoffs are not just a capstone on this season this year, they are also a recruiting pitch to the free agent class. A successful playoff run, which I'd define as getting to a 6th game against Cleveland, would go a long way toward making the case that we are just one star away from being a championship contender.
Boston does not have high taxes. In fact, compared to most NBA cities, Boston has pretty low taxes. Texas and Florida are zero income tax states, but after that, cheaper options are things like going to Detroit to save 1% per year. Or, you could go to California and pay over twice as much. Ditto NYC. A long time ago, Massachusetts was a high tax state. The myth that it still is needs to die.Aside from an overpay on Horford (granted every FA contract this summer will be a MASSIVE overpay in comparison to the players on current deals) on the wrong side of 30 who are these stars that would suddenly consider spending their winters in Boston based on a first-round series win?
I still have my weekly DeRozan dreams but they are certainly just that. Horford seems like a guy who could play forever since he doesn't rely on athleticism and has that funny little Isaiah connection......but still Boston has to be a very tough sell with other teams in the mix. When we keep saying "recruiting a max guy" and "one star away" we are close enough to FA to begin citing specific players as targets and their reasoning for choosing Boston winters and high taxes.
It's not a myth for this discussion of aiming for a max player when you have at least 6 cities off the top of my head with lower taxes and much better weather......and at least 4 of them are going after the same guys you are. It's a part of the larger picture of why we are extreme long shots to ever land a top FA.Boston does not have high taxes. In fact, compared to most NBA cities, Boston has pretty low taxes. Texas and Florida are zero income tax states, but after that, cheaper options are things like going to Detroit to save 1% per year. Or, you could go to California and pay over twice as much. Ditto NYC. A long time ago, Massachusetts was a high tax state. The myth that it still is needs to die.
Schroder has a ton of trouble with the pressure but Teague went for 23/12.....it wasn't like AB was shutting him down. Smart and even Rozier off the bench can provide similar on the ball defense. Where AB will really be missed is offensively with his spacing in the halfcourt set as one of our few consistent perimeter shooters which is a weakness of ours even when he IS playing.AB might be the best on ball defender in the league. There's just no replacing him.
Bradley wasn't on Teague all that long - I'd be willing to bet the majority of Teague's 23/12 were before/after Bradley had coverage. When Bradley went off, you could see Teague puff himself up and take the next defender (can't remember who it was) right to the hole. He was definitely affected by Bradley.Schroder has a ton of trouble with the pressure but Teague went for 23/12.....it wasn't like AB was shutting him down. Smart and even Rozier off the bench can provide similar on the ball defense. Where AB will really be missed is offensively with his spacing in the halfcourt set as one of our few consistent perimeter shooters which is a weakness of ours even when he IS playing.
A playoff run wasn't going to be what brings players here. And if some player was using that to judge where they signed I'm pretty sure that player would realize Bradley was injured.Without Bradley, the Celtics are effectively done. Even if they beat Atlanta (still possible with some contribution from the young ones), they can't beat anyone else in my opinion with out him. As said above - that sucks, because I also believe this playoff was a sort of audition for the best free agents out there as to how close we are - that they could be what lift us over the top. And without a good run, Danny's job is significantly harder.
I don't buy the making a run factor as a motivator for a FA aside from being nice PR-speak rather than saying "Boston offered the most money to offset spending winters in New England." Half the teams in the league could fit that mild playoff contender profile.
I also don't buy AB being an indispensable piece but he is important to our offense for spacing. I've heard this with Olynyk when he was out, with Smart, and then with Crowder......each time we lost one rotation player our results were still very good.
I believe Boston has a less than 3% chance at landing Durant. Having said that, and using him as an example: he is loved where he is. Assuming most of the free agent landing spots could offer him the same money - he would have to be an idiot to leave a place that loves him unless he believed he could move up a rung or two on the 'chances of winning it all" ladder. I'd say the same for any high profile free agent. Horford is in the same place in my opinion. Why would either of them move laterally? They wouldn't. They need to view their next team (if they intend to move at all) as a team that could/would win if they joined it. If they Celtics are unceremoniously bounced out of the playoffs I think it hurts that perception. I think at the moment they have a less than 1% chance at landing Horford and Durant, but if they were to land one, the odds of landing both go up (assuming both are in play) by virtue of the jump in contender status. This is how Ainge convinced Garnett to come here, he made the Ray Allen deal and convinced Garnett that he was the final piece of a championship team. Do I think the Celtics are in the same place? No. Do I think Ainge is putting all his eggs in one basket? No. But anyone that thinks a marquee free agent is coming here without the perception of legitimate contender status upon arrival is watching a different league than I'm seeing.A playoff run wasn't going to be what brings players here. And if some player was using that to judge where they signed I'm pretty sure that player would realize Bradley was injured.
Also, the "can't beat anyone else" line--I mean, you gotta play the games. The East is one tweaked ankle away from being wide open. The same thing that happened to Bradley can happen to others. Just win game 2.
This has nothing to do with Boston, but...I believe Boston has a less than 3% chance at landing Durant. Having said that, and using him as an example: he is loved where he is. Assuming most of the free agent landing spots could offer him the same money - he would have to be an idiot to leave a place that loves him unless he believed he could move up a rung or two on the 'chances of winning it all" ladder. I'd say the same for any high profile free agent. Horford is in the same place in my opinion. Why would either of them move laterally? They wouldn't. They need to view their next team (if they intend to move at all) as a team that could/would win if they joined it.