2022-2023 General Celtics thread
- Thread starter RorschachsMask
- Start date
Tatum's absurdly efficient offensive game tonight saved them from the loss.
Jaylen looked exhausted from the tip & closed it with a missed dunk
If this team doesn't have a healthy TL, I have little faith in CJM getting them over the finish line.
Jaylen looked exhausted from the tip & closed it with a missed dunk
If this team doesn't have a healthy TL, I have little faith in CJM getting them over the finish line.
Honestly this is why the Houston / Washington / Brooklyn / Utah losses kill me so much. If they had just done the job in those games, they could basically rest JB / JT over the last four games here and there. They could be up 2.5 on Milwaukee right now.
That’s an interesting conclusion from last night’s effort. Team was on the 2nd night of a B2B coming off an emotional big win.
And the Cavs where they win if Grant hits one or two free throws.
They are a 65 win roster that will win around 57. They should easily have home court advantage but they pissed away 7-8 games beyond the expected bad losses.
Especially since the team has played a lot, and won, without TL this season. If they miss from 3 this team is toast.. but they’re pretty deep if needed.. obv they are better with TL, but I don’t think losing him completely destroys any chance they have of winning… with that said almost every NBA champion has had to rely on injury luck for themselves or their opponents.
Bucks have lost 2x to Atlanta, once at home to the Fakers, twice to the Bulls, and home against the Wizards. Sixers have lost to Spurs, Charlotte, and Houston. Such is the reality of the NBA in this day and age; unclear we will see that many 65-win teams anymore.
Key goals in the standings race are to maintain their 2 game lead over Denver and their (essentially) 3 game lead over Philly.
And TL wasn't hurt or dealing with a new injury. There is simply zero reason to play him on a B2B during the regular season. Celtics will not have to worry about back-to-backs in the playoffs, so really cannot discern anything about last night, other than the much derided head coach pushed them through a difficult win.
If Tatum isn't otherworldly against Utah they win?
Go back and watch the game. Jaylen was clearly feeling the effects of a screwed-up travel day.
It's used far too much, but is applicable in this case, these guys aren't robots.
I'd just as soon rest guys, play Philly at full strength, and rest guys some more heading into the playoffs. #2 seed is fine
"much derided"?
You mean the 34yr old rookie coach, that was named to the All-Star team and received a long extension? The dude is on a magic carpet ride.
Playing against Utah's 2nd and 3rd stringers in a pretty meaningless game, after flight delays/cancellations, maybe holding back more starters would have been prudent?
I guess, but last year's Suns were a 65 win roster that won 64, had homecourt....and flamed out in the 2nd round against a pretty mediocre (by playoff standards) Mavs squad.
I get that people want the regular season to mean something, but we've known since December that healthy TL + focus = Finals, and random March losses to bad teams don't change that equation for good or ill.
Last year's Cs probably beats Utah by 25 last night....and it means jack shit once the playoffs start.
I know Milwaukee didn't have homecourt last year and lost, but they also had a game 6 closeout at home, and got completely spanked and outclassed in game 7. Their decision to duck the Nets had a lot less to do with their loss than did the Celtics being a better team.
I'm just thankful that going forward there are no 1 and dones.
YET.
I have very little idea what performance to expect on a nightly basis from the Celts. IMO they are inconsistent and undisciplined for what I believe to be the best team in basketball by far. On the same note I have a hard time seeing any other team beating them 4 of 7, due mostly to the fact they are so fucking talented. However to my opening thought, a game 7 on the road, makes me very uneasy and that they pissed away so many games from Dec-to now annoyed me to no end. Because when they play "Celtic basketball" D-transition push the ball aggresive basketball, they are that fucking good and they can destroy teams
Teams learn good habits in the regular season to pay off in the play offs. I'm not sure this team did.
YET.
I have very little idea what performance to expect on a nightly basis from the Celts. IMO they are inconsistent and undisciplined for what I believe to be the best team in basketball by far. On the same note I have a hard time seeing any other team beating them 4 of 7, due mostly to the fact they are so fucking talented. However to my opening thought, a game 7 on the road, makes me very uneasy and that they pissed away so many games from Dec-to now annoyed me to no end. Because when they play "Celtic basketball" D-transition push the ball aggresive basketball, they are that fucking good and they can destroy teams
Teams learn good habits in the regular season to pay off in the play offs. I'm not sure this team did.
How many eggs have they laid against good teams? Off the top of my head, I can think of the games in Denver and SF, but it's a very short list.
I'd argue they've learned pretty good postseason habits, and bad regular season habits.
This team does seem to play to the level of its competition with regularity and there is a high degree of variance in their performance. If the team is healthy and playing to their mean potential they are formidable and difficult to beat. If the team is performing above their mean - the Jays are clicking, TL and Smart are on top of their defensive game and role players including Horford and Brogdon are hitting 3s at ~45% and White is doing what he does the team is unstoppable. Which version of the team consistently shows up in the playoffs will be the difference between a disappointing exit and another banner in the rafters. Health feels like the biggest variable to me. If this team is fully healthy the post season run is going to be a lot of fun.
You don't need a long list of teams to lose to in the post-season, just one.
Nor do you need a month (or 3) of lackluster basketball, just a week or two will end the most promising of seasons.
The Celts to me have been unfocused and undisciplined, saved mostly by extraordinary talent.
If it makes you feel better losing to a #7 than a #1, I envy your peace of mind.
And I agree they've picked up some bad season habits, but they've yet to prove they've learned any good post-season habits.
My sense is they believe they can turn on a switch when they need to.
To me thats a very dangerous assumption.
YMMV
Celtics are tied for second most wins against bottom 10 teams, and destroy top 10 teams.
I think people can be guilty of overreacting because it’s their team, but it’s just how the league is now, any team can win on any night.
I think people can be guilty of overreacting because it’s their team, but it’s just how the league is now, any team can win on any night.
They have second best winning % in league against over .500 teams.
However they are the only team among the top 7 in the NBA (those that have clinched playoff spots) that has a losing record in OT. They are also only 5-7 in one possession games. Reverse either of those records and they are the #1 seed in entire league.
Welcome to the NBA. Teams, even the bad teams, have many very good basketball players. On any night any team can beat the best team. This is nothing specific about this Boston team
Jayles was also questionable pregame with a pretty specific, low back pain, designation. So, there may have been a bit more going on than just being tired. Just stay healthy. That's all I want for the remainder of the regular season.
One qualifier on last night: their plane was cancelled (sick pilot) and they arrived at Boston 6 hours before tip last night: https://theathletic.com/4370319/2023/04/01/celtics-milwaukee-jazz/
White was interviewed at halftime and seemed completely exhausted. Good win all things considered.
True. With the roster this team has it feels like they should be favored in every game and generally they are. So it is naturally disappointing when they lose to less talented teams. However this team has seldom been fully intact in terms of everyone being healthy and as you say anything can happen on any given night regardless of the make up of a team.
That was my TIC point in rebutting the contention they've learned good post-season habits, when they havent yet played a minute of the post-season.
They didn't prove their post season mettle past year winning 2 grueling seven game series? You just can't please some people.
Yes, but they weren't the #2 seed then. We don't know yet how they'll do in a Game 7 on the road in the conference finals.
Also "playing mediocre if not for their best players playing well" describes like every good NBA team ever most nights.
Yeah, it's a joke, but it does bear repeating.
We know exactly how the current group of players (minus Brogdon) performs in the playoffs, and on the road in elimination games.
We also know that they've been really good this year in games they key in on, which indicates they still know how to do that.
I guess if you really want to weight January-March losses to Houston/Orlando/whomever, be my guest, but at least be fair and do that for all the other contenders, all of whom have their share of awful losses.
The Bucks under performed their net rating in 2021 by 2 games, and over performed their net rating last year by 2 games. So far this year, they a whopping 8 games ahead of their expected record based on net rating. If the Bucks had 4-5 fewer wins, I think everyone would be feeling a lot more comfortable about the playoffs. If the Bucks were at or below their expected record, everyone would be wondering just wtf happened to them this year.
The Celtics FWIW are exactly at their expected record based on net rating (after finishing 8 games under their expected record last year).
The Celtics FWIW are exactly at their expected record based on net rating (after finishing 8 games under their expected record last year).
I thought they were the best team in the NBA last year maybe lacking some maturity, and I think they're the best team in the NBA this year. I had hoped they gained some insights from last year. I also happen to think they've under-performed their vast abilities year to date. YMMV. Which is fine.
I have high expectations for this year's team. Thankfully my expectations this year can be met.
As an aside, if they play to potential and lose I will be disappointed, BUT because if that happens it will likely mean they got beaten by an opponent playing out of their mind in an epic series. And I love good basketball.
YMMV.
Blake, Kornet or Muscala, who plays backup Center with TL out?
I think BG has earned those minutes
I think BG has earned those minutes
Is has to be Blake if Embid is in the game. Kornet might get time against Reed. Muscala just can’t hold up at all on d.
Have we used Grant’s physicality to push Embiid off his spots in the past or am I thinking of someone else?
Grant has definitely been used on Embid. Embid can shoot over him pretty easily. Kornet played him earlier in the year and Embid just overpowered him.
Yeah, nobody is going to shut him down. You just have to give him different looks each time down the floor as much as possible otherwise he’ll know exactly what he can do on each possession. Lots of mixing and matching, throw in a zone for a possession a few times during the game……and make him as uncomfortable as you can.
Yep mixing it up, using Grant to get underneath/annoy him is the approach. When Embiid started backing Grant down last game, Brown or Smart would attack his dribble and try to strip him.
Has the no NBA game on the same day as college basketball national championship always been a thing? I like it regardless, just curious
Instead of Red’s Victory Cigar I am looking forward to the Celtics uncorking the Champagnie at the end of games
