It does feel like Wyc is trying to thread that needle. I hope he can pull it off. The tax proceeds will come out of someone's hide. I suspect Irv/Wyc's sister don't want to swallow the majority of the tab.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
Celtics Offseason 2024 - Wake Me Up When September Ends
- Thread starter InstaFace
- Start date
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
Some nerdy/stat stuff to keep an eye on:
https://www.celticsblog.com/2024/9/23/24250550/10-boston-celtics-stats-to-follow-for-the-2024-25-nba-season
The reduction in Al Horford's mpg last season was predictable.
Further reducing our regular season Horford minute dependence would be wise.
https://www.celticsblog.com/2024/9/23/24250550/10-boston-celtics-stats-to-follow-for-the-2024-25-nba-season
The reduction in Al Horford's mpg last season was predictable.
Further reducing our regular season Horford minute dependence would be wise.
There is a silver lining to Porzingis being injured: (1) Over a few months, the Celtics will learn how important a piece he is to winning, which is critical for a year when they'll have to figure out which (sizable) salary to dump during the offseason. I predict if they have a .750+ winning percentage without him, he's most likely gone. (2) The puu puu platter of backup centers should get lots of minutes, and hopefully a solid backup/occasional starter will emerge from Tillman/Kornet/Queta.
I know most of his playoff minutes (and DNP-CDs) suggest this is very optimistic, but I continue to hvae hope that Tillman can be a poor-man's Al for this team. He plays smart, tough, and while he's neither a good shooter or passer he's also not incompetent at either of them. Faint praise, I know, but with the roster around him his job is to protect the rim, rebound, and stick on switches and I really think he can do those things. The good playoff minutes in the past with Memphis are the primary reason for optimism.
Maybe he was just never fully healthy last year? Anyway, he's the 5 I'm hoping shows us more than expected with all the available early season minutes...
Maybe he was just never fully healthy last year? Anyway, he's the 5 I'm hoping shows us more than expected with all the available early season minutes...
Just going off memory here so could easily be wrong, but I recall reading that Tillman is actually a pretty good passer and a decent all around offensive player, but as you point out is not a good shooter. Like you, I maintain this hope that there’s an extra level there he can unlock and become a useful player in a wider role.
It's relative---I don't think he is Horford or even possibly TL as a passer, but he's also not incapable of it like Queta. Just being capable of moving the ball and making good, quick decisions is all we need from him passing-wise and I think he can certainly handle that.
He did average 3.0 assists a game as a junior in college, so there's some capability there...
He did average 3.0 assists a game as a junior in college, so there's some capability there...
Horford’s minutes were up in games that Porzingis sat, down when Porzingis played and down in 20+ 4Q games when he didn’t play in the 4Q. Someone with more time can do this but in close games where Porzingis didn’t play I think Horford’s mpg was similar to his prior usage.
That Horford quote above is from Ramona Shelburne's recap of Boston's offseason:
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/41400876/boston-celtics-championship-honeymoon-12-days
It has a click-bait headline that it doesn't deliver on, there's nothing new or particularly controversial. But it's a worthwhile reminder of all that's gone on, from the honeymoon and duck boats to the big extension signings to Grousbecks-Out to the Olympics stuff, plus Porzingis. Nothing that will break news around here, but if you're getting geared up for training camp yourself as a fan, it's worth your 5 minutes.
edit: OK, there's maybe one part that's new, and it's a real "LFG!!!" moment:
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/41400876/boston-celtics-championship-honeymoon-12-days
It has a click-bait headline that it doesn't deliver on, there's nothing new or particularly controversial. But it's a worthwhile reminder of all that's gone on, from the honeymoon and duck boats to the big extension signings to Grousbecks-Out to the Olympics stuff, plus Porzingis. Nothing that will break news around here, but if you're getting geared up for training camp yourself as a fan, it's worth your 5 minutes.
edit: OK, there's maybe one part that's new, and it's a real "LFG!!!" moment:
Focusing on Things You Can Control: The Jayson Tatum Story
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Horford played 30+ minutes in 22 games last year. 11 of those games Porzingis played. 11 he did not.
Need a followup to check on his friend there. And to find out who he's getting loans through, buying multifamily places with no money down.
Coach Joe wisely made an effort to reduce Al Horford's regular season minutes last season (26.8 mpg) after playing him 30.5 mpg the prior season. Al was pretty cooked by the 2023 playoffs.
When I suggested this would happen last fall there was a bunch of pushback that Al at 30.5 mpg was no big deal & he would continue to play 30mpg. Primarily there was concern with our 3rd & 4th string Centers playing (which was fine to worry about) BUT the regular season just isn't all that important (esp Nov/Dec) & our plethora of fungible 5s were more than OK.
Even without KP, we should probably see another step down in regular-season Horford minutes + aggressive load mgmt the entire season.
Expect plenty of regular-season KornXQ minutes & the C's will be perfectly fine.
I started reading it and then stopped. It's a Lakers fan joy vampire piece. Basically to any Boston fans, "well you got the title, but you didn't really get to enjoy it" bullshit.
Bad Yelp review from me.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ-kYCHWbJM
Like this guy, I hope it works out for him. He would add more value than Walsh.
He's prepared to play for Maine
Like this guy, I hope it works out for him. He would add more value than Walsh.
He's prepared to play for Maine
Lonnie Walker politely saying Joe was insane reminded me of this classic
View: https://twitter.com/Handsome_Jake_/status/1797319873581740492
View: https://twitter.com/Handsome_Jake_/status/1797319873581740492
Lowe's latest podcast has Reddick on it. Reddick says that Joe was really influential on him becoming a coach and that Joe is a stud. Nothing we didn't already know.
Content! Practice shots! Tatum’s shot is definitely cleaner, less moving parts.
View: https://twitter.com/BobbyKrivitsky/status/1839711605837193523
View: https://twitter.com/BobbyKrivitsky/status/1839711605837193523
This is straight-up crack cocaine. I can't wait for games. START THE SEASON RIGHT NOW.
View: https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1840403422765330570
View: https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1840403422765330570
He's taken them for awhile. He tries to add it more heavily to his game every year, but then usually dials it back to C&S because those are more efficient.
Can't stop laughing at Tillman powerwalking with that look on his face.
https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/s/vKPQwVOKDn
https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/s/vKPQwVOKDn
That is hilarious.
Reminded me of this incredible video
https://www.tiktok.com/@milesplitusaofficial/video/7259805753563729194?lang=en
It’s a pretty big deal for the Middle East region and iirc was pretty successful in prior years. They treat it similarly to the Final Four with multiple days of events around the two NBA games with celebrities performing and all the hoopla that goes with it.
The conflict is going to escalate & exhibition basketball games feel unnecessary in the region.
Good point. I hadn’t factored in the Celtics not returning into my season win total either.
I’m going to hell.
As we know the UAE(along with the Middle East) is a hot bed for NBA talent, so Silver needs to be there!
Maybe they can play Yam Madar in these games, I'm sure the fans would love him.
I'm just not into seeing the NBA turned into a Vince McMahon WWE event-style oil money grab, especially with ballistic missiles floating around the region.
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If only we still had Kyrie on the team, he could've brokered some proper deal while he was over there.
Leaving the ballistic missiles part aside, I've been looking at the Middle East in another business context recently, and Silver's reasoning makes a ton of sense.
High disposable income, decently large aggregate population in the Arabian peninsula, and (importantly) not tons of other entertainment/recreation options because of the lack of partying etc.
Getting a strong foothold there as a major sports league is extremely attractive, particularly with Saudi opening up more.
Business-wise ($$$) it makes perfect sense. PIF's appetite for investing in sports franchises & splashing money on athletes is off the charts. Once the PGA merges with LIV, its just a matter of time before NBA, NFL, MLB franchises sell stakes to PIF along with a private equity sponsor. I'm a Newcastle United fan and have seen the benefits of Saudi involvement.
When I lived in Europe, I went to Dubai about a dozen times. You've lived overseas, you know the gig. Americans stand out like sore thumbs, especially in the Middle East.
I'd rather not have the Celtics scheduled to be there for 3 days in light of the region being PO'd (more than even Ivy League undergrads) with Israel/America
I was in Kyiv on 2/24. I admire the Celtics' willingness to man up and roll the dice.
It’s definitely not optimal with what is occurring right now but this isn’t something that was scheduled last week but rather an enormous undertaking with a large investment taking place to promote the NBA over there for close to an entire week. There would have to be some significant safety concerns to cancel Abu Dnabi Games 2024.
Exactly, and neither side wants to bring the Saudis into the war. I think it’s a precursor to changing the nba bylaws to let the Saudis own a team. NBA ownership would love to see that money coming in.