Will the Celts Make the Playoffs?

[radsoxfan]

As I pointed out, Love took nearly as many interior shots last season in Minnesota without Blatt. He's lost some lift from his early twenties and wasn't athletic to begin with.

 
Agree he looks more floor bound these days.  He also looks like he struggles to run up and down the court some nights.  
 
I think the back injuries are a real problem for him. 

 

[Cellar-Door]

After we beat the Cavs, who's our most likely next opponent?

 
The state.
Only way we beat the Cavs is with a stick, while they sleep.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

He's not the same threat because he's not getting the same opportunities. Blatt and Cleveland like to use him as a three point shooter, but that's more about floor spacing than it is about Love's effectiveness as a post player. Per Synergy, as of January 30, Love was leading the NBA in points per post-up possession among players with 4 or more attempts per game. I don't know where that number has gone since then, as Synergy's numbers are subscription only, but I feel pretty safe in concluding that Love on Turner is not a matchup the Celtics should be trying to create. It's a moot point anyway, as Bass isn't likely going to defend LeBron for any significant duration.
 
Edit: NBA.com has post-up efficiency stats. Love is tied for second in the NBA among players with 200+ post up possessions:
 
http://stats.nba.com/playtype/#!/post-up/?dir=1&sort=PPP&CF=Poss*GE*200

Your link is broken BTW.

If I were the coach, I would be thrilled if I put Turner on Love and Blatt decided to make that the focal point of the Cavs offense. If Kevin Love can beat me, so be it - but there's no way CLE is going to send Love into the post possession after possession and turn LBJ and Irving into jump shooters - if that happens, I'm not sending help over and I'll see what happens.

 

[ivanvamp]

Look, the Celtics *should* get absolutely killed by the Cavs.  This should be a sweep, and none of the games should be close.  Cleveland at full strength is better than Boston across the board.  It'll be a significant step forward to win two of these games.  Even one would be impressive.  
 
That said, I'm all for trying the unconventional.  Why not?

 

[nighthob]

I'm all for trying the unconventional.  Why not?

Why knot indeed. This guy agrees with you.

 

[DJnVa]

After we beat the Cavs, who's our most likely next opponent?

 
 
We get to beat the Bulls next.
 

 

[ColonelMustard]

Why knot indeed. This guy agrees with you.

 
Clicked it.  :rex:  *Slow Clap

 

[ivanvamp]

Why knot indeed. This guy agrees with you.

 
Speechless.

 

[nighthob]

Speechless.

Hey, he was sporting major wood.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

Why knot indeed. This guy agrees with you.

And his name is Crowder and he has dreads. I see the connection.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

I agree with this. Listen, we can't play this series straight up and expect to get anything out of it. It's these type of higher risk unconventional matchups that we must try and dictate. Having a less than thrilled Love posting up is something i want us forcing rather than Kyrie using a screen to create a matchup vs Olynyk or LeBron creating a matchup against anyone.

Why would Love be less than thrilled to post up Evan Turner?  

 

[Cellar-Door]

Why do people seem to be assuming that Turner would cover Love at any point?
Is this a lineup with 2 guards, Turner and Crowder on defense?
That isn't a lineup Stevens uses often (for good reason). I'd expect Bass to get most of the run at PF with the starters, then Jerebko  and/or Sullinger with the bench unit.
 
Turner will likely defend the 2 at all times he is on the court.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Why do people seem to be assuming that Turner would cover Love at any point?
Is this a lineup with 2 guards, Turner and Crowder on defense?
That isn't a lineup Stevens uses often (for good reason). I'd expect Bass to get most of the run at PF with the starters, then Jerebko  and/or Sullinger with the bench unit.
 
Turner will likely defend the 2 at all times he is on the court.

I think the thought was, Bass may take Lebron at times, which puts Turner on Love.
 
I think they will have a mix of dfferent guys on Lebron.  If they put any one guy on him he'll probably either get torched or foul out.  Or get torched and foul out.  
 
Any chance they start Olynyk, on the theory that Mozgov can't really cover him on the perimeter?