PDX is a homecoming game for Pritchard, we could see a big night from him (prop bet?)I'm all for resting players, but let's not rest the whole squad and lose to the Trailblazers, please. Start 3 of the starters and pull them if/when it gets out of hand. You blow this game and you just increase the likelihood you need to play starters against a more competitive, physical team down the line.
Pritchard missed last years trip with a knee injury. The previous year he scored 19 in 18 min and hit 5 three’s in a 28-pt win (no better garbage time player in the league). As a rookie he played 12 min in a 1-pt game….and shot 1-7 (0-3 threes). Standard PP behavior.PDX is a homecoming game for Pritchard, we could see a big night from him (prop bet?)
Not in the East, but for overall homecourt they can’t play dead quite yet. Take out the trash now so you can fully rest in April.I don't think there's any realistic chance the Celtics don't end the season with the top seed.
If the Celtics were to go 10-9 the rest of the way (and 10 wins is as close to a slam dunk as there is given the remaining schedule), the Thunder would have to go 14-4 to tie. FWIW, OKC still has a difficult east coast trip to NY, Philly, Boston, and Indiana remaining, as well as a trip to Milwaukee. So while it is indeed possible the Celtics could lose the #1 overall seed, it's also unlikely barring an unforeseen collapse.Not in the East, but for overall homecourt they can’t play dead quite yet.
I think they should do just that, but the best way to do it is to just take care of the shitty teams up front and not need to man a full squad against the Bucks 10 days before the playoffs.No problem with Joe/Brad deciding to prioritize the health of their vets at this point.
I expect they'll split the TOP6 players days off on the Back-to-Backs (BTB)I think it’s fairly easy to rotate days off for multiple players the rest of the way with the #1 overall pretty much locked up while also ramping up minutes in certain games with 1-2 days off on each end of it. I’ll circle the “ramp up” games which also by pure chance happen to be against some of the better teams in the league….
3/14 Phoenix (1 off before, 2 off after)
3/20 Milwaukee (1 off each end)
4/3 OKC (I off each end)
4/9 @Milwaukee (1 off each end)
Two other potentials are @Atlanta and @New Orleans, each with 1 and 2 off.
Yeah I mean maybe they'll do it 4 times. I think Thursday vs Phoenix is probably the best bet of the ones you list, given the extra rest. We don't have many other games that are unaffected by short-rest situations, frankly. I guess there's the @ Atlanta mini series, with 2 off days in between the games on 3/25 and 3/28, and a rest day on either end of it. Besides that and the rest after Phoenix, we don't have 2 days off between games the remainder of the season, so I'm sure they want to maximize the healing value. And I'm not sure we'd look to charge up and blow Atlanta off the court, like what would that prove, how would that challenge us, etc. So maybe that's an opportunity to give someone like Horford or Porzingis a full week off (they're not stars within the definition of the Player Resting Policy, so it doesn't apply to them - the most we might get is side-eye coming from Park Ave), instead of firing all cylinders on one of those games.I think it’s fairly easy to rotate days off for multiple players the rest of the way with the #1 overall pretty much locked up while also ramping up minutes in certain games with 1-2 days off on each end of it. I’ll circle the “ramp up” games which also by pure chance happen to be against some of the better teams in the league….
3/14 Phoenix (1 off before, 2 off after)
3/20 Milwaukee (1 off each end)
4/3 OKC (I off each end)
4/9 @Milwaukee (1 off each end)
Two other potentials are @Atlanta and @New Orleans, each with 1 and 2 off.
Looks like they will be resting several of the starters tonight.Pritchard missed last years trip with a knee injury. The previous year he scored 19 in 18 min and hit 5 three’s in a 28-pt win (no better garbage time player in the league). As a rookie he played 12 min in a 1-pt game….and shot 1-7 (0-3 threes). Standard PP behavior.
Return homes can be tricky the first time w so many distractions but he’s been here before so he should be fine. Has he ever even played 30 min in an NBA game? Haven’t looked but if he did I’m sure it was a blowout so I wouldn’t really factor that much and if he did play that much it is due to him having it going on that night.Looks like they will be resting several of the starters tonight.
It's going to be a PP/Hauser Launch Party
What is Pritchard's PPG when he plays 30mpg is probably more relevant?
(playing at home in Portland is just extra motivation)
5 times this year he has played more than 30 minutes. 15 times totalHas he ever even played 30 min in an NBA game?
Payton has played between 26-33 minutes 10X this season (no starts) and averaged 18ppg.Return homes can be tricky the first time w so many distractions but he’s been here before so he should be fine. Has he ever even played 30 min in an NBA game? Haven’t looked but if he did I’m sure it was a blowout so I wouldn’t really factor that much and if he did play that much it is due to him having it going on that night.
Like many here I watch most of the games. To my eyes, none of the top six in the rotation looks as spry as earlier in the season. Aside from the Porzingis injury, Jaylen, Jrue and even Tatum look worn down.The staff and front office are doing what we all
always wanted them to, with more cushion than expected.
Resting guys after we clinch does no good if they're already worn down by the cumulative effect by that time.
I agree they look a bit worn down. Probably 80% physically and 20% mentally (they've stayed reasonably locked in for a very long stretch of games against good to very good opponents).Like many here I watch most of the games. To my eyes, none of the top six in the rotation looks as spry as earlier in the season. Aside from the Porzingis injury, Jaylen, Jrue and even Tatum look worn down.
They clearly aren't playing at the level they were a few weeks ago - as you note, why build this cushion if you can't use it. Unless you are a Cs fan in PDX (sorry because I know we have numbers there) I can't see why resting staters against a WC opponent near the end of a grueling road trip is bad. Like at all.
Your worst expected outcome is losing a game in the standings. And if the Cs have to fend off another team for the top spot, they likely have bigger problems.
I'll be there. On the bright side, I'm glad I waited to get tickets as I snagged some good seats this morning for a very nice price.Unless you are a Cs fan in PDX (sorry because I know we have numbers there) I can't see why resting staters against a WC opponent near the end of a grueling road trip is bad.
Well maybe you can have a conversation with the Jays then, at least, even if you can't watch them do their thing.I'll be there. On the bright side, I'm glad I waited to get tickets as I snagged some good seats this morning for a very nice price.
Especially when dealing with nagging injuries. Jaylen's back has been clearly bothering him the last couple games and he's played through it, but better off dealing with that shit now before it becomes a bigger issue.Like many here I watch most of the games. To my eyes, none of the top six in the rotation looks as spry as earlier in the season. Aside from the Porzingis injury, Jaylen, Jrue and even Tatum look worn down.
They clearly aren't playing at the level they were a few weeks ago - as you note, why build this cushion if you can't use it. Unless you are a Cs fan in PDX (sorry because I know we have numbers there) I can't see why resting staters against a WC opponent near the end of a grueling road trip is bad. Like at all.
Your worst expected outcome is losing a game in the standings. And if the Cs have to fend off another team for the top spot, they likely have bigger problems.
Well, the seats aren't that good - hah.Well maybe you can have a conversation with the Jays then, at least, even if you can't watch them do their thing.
Yea I was hoping Tatum would take tonight off with Brown taking tomorrow off...And, in spite of what I'd like to see, they are playing the Jays and DWhite.
No no no no! Bad Brad, bad!And, in spite of what I'd like to see, they are playing the Jays and DWhite.
Maybe you got on camera, then. They showed an awful lot of the Celtics away contingent on the Boston broadcast.Well, the seats aren't that good - hah.
Definitely lots of Celtics fans there. The brewery pregame was packed just with Celtics fans…the bartender who is a Sixers fan wasn’t happy.Maybe you got on camera, then. They showed an awful lot of the Celtics away contingent on the Boston broadcast.
And with the OKC loss get a little closer to clinching home court throughout. Good housekeeping win.C's write a good ending to a road trip that started with a brutal loss.
With 17 games to go, magic number is 8 for EC #1, 12 for HC throughout. Pretty good chance we get 12 wins on our own.And with the OKC loss get a little closer to clinching home court throughout. Good housekeeping win.
The play-in schedule is one reason I'm not too concerned with them getting enough rest. They'll get 4-5 days off after the regular season. Play them enough to keep everyone sharp, especially in the few highlight games left.One unique quirk of the schedule: the Celtics only have one road game after April 1, in Milwaukee on April 9. They finish the regular season on Sunday, April 14. So, the first playoff game will probably be Tuesday or Wednesday? And then game 2 could be any time from Thursday to Sunday. Playoff schedules are quirky so who knows.
But the point is, they'll be sleeping in their home beds for something like 19 out of 20 nights as the playoffs begin. That's a nice bonus.
Edit: I forgot about the play-in. Their first playoff game won't be until the 19th at the earliest.
The league will surely fine them if they do that. But I would be surprised if all of KP, Tatum, and JB make that flight...Again, these silly one-game road trips (one this Sunday to the Wiz) - I would give all the top 5 the entire trip off. Why the hell not?
As someone who plans on attending that game, can I ask for 3 of the top 6 playing?Again, these silly one-game road trips (one this Sunday to the Wiz) - I would give all the top 5 the entire trip off. Why the hell not?
The Player Rest Policy applies to "stars", which for us includes Tatum, Brown, and Holiday. We are expected to make stars available to play on national-TV games, except for bona fide injury. And for all other games, teams are expected to (1) only hold out one star per game for rest, and (2) balance the games a star is held out, between home games / road games.Again, these silly one-game road trips (one this Sunday to the Wiz) - I would give all the top 5 the entire trip off. Why the hell not?
Especially at this point in the season, where you have a team like the Celtics that will likely soon have nothing left to play for.Can they play for 1 minute then take the rest of the game off? These anti-load-management rules are BS.
Oh, man, Mike Gorman with zero fucks left to give is such a treasure. He's saying what everyone knew to be true, but to have it so clearly laid out is pretty amazing in this day and age.
The fact that he's very clearly all there mentally at his age really adds to it. There is nothing absent-minded: he knows exactly what he's saying and just goes for it.Oh, man, Mike Gorman with zero fucks left to give is such a treasure. He's saying what everyone knew to be true, but to have it so clearly laid out is pretty amazing in this day and age.
That's so tough coming from Gorman.
Yeah, nothing exactly earth shattering there, I think we all knew Grant was annoying. But to hear Gorman say it like that...pretty entertainingOh, man, Mike Gorman with zero fucks left to give is such a treasure. He's saying what everyone knew to be true, but to have it so clearly laid out is pretty amazing in this day and age.