CELTICS and the NBA

[hrstrat57]

It’s about S W A G sales. How many unis do C’s have now?

Sawx rolled out canary yellow there’s no limit to the madness!

[ramster]

Rick Pitino, Tracey Morgan, Jon Stewart, Pete Davidson and Ben Stiller at NY Knicks - Cleveland game

Celtics at Hawks tonight 7pm

[reef]

Yeah I saw Pitino there , Knicks look like world beaters lately

[TruePoint]

Fear factor of East playoff teams:

Milwaukee - 9/10
Miami - 6/10
Cleveland - 4/10
Knicks - 3/10
Philly - 3/10
Atlanta - 1/10
Brooklyn - 0/10

[ramster]

Trae Young with the game winner from beyond the arc with Jaylen Brown guarding him
Celtics blew a their lead in the 4th Q. Celtics had the series won up 109-96 (13 points) with 6 minutes left in the game ---- but then a bad rest of the 4th Q

Now series returns to Atlanta for Game 6

Hawks won playing without Murray who was suspended for bumping the Ref in Game 4.

[reef]

Trae Young with the game winner from beyond the arc with Jaylen Brown guarding him
Celtics blew a their lead in the 4th Q. Celtics had the series won up 109-96 (13 points) with 6 minutes left in the game ---- but then a bad rest of the 4th Q

Now series returns to Atlanta for Game 6

Hawks won playing without Murray who was suspended for bumping the Ref in Game 4.

An absolutely stinging defeat , are we actually going 7 with these guys ??

[STC]

Celtics need to stop fucking around and step on Atlanta's throat tonight. They had a golden opportunity at home, up 3-1 with Murray suspended and they choked it away the last 6 minutes of the game. With Milwaukee now eliminated and Embiid ailing, it is all lining up for the Celtics. They cannot fuck this up.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Celtics need to stop fucking around and step on Atlanta's throat tonight. They had a golden opportunity at home, up 3-1 with Murray suspended and they choked it away the last 6 minutes of the game. With Milwaukee now eliminated and Embiid ailing, it is all lining up for the Celtics. They cannot fuck this up.

Down 3, 5 minutes to play....mmmm...I'd say the jury is out on that right now...

Eta...ne'er mind, 8 up under 2....

[STC]

Celtics better show up with a sense of urgency tonight and killer instinct. This team consistently takes its foot off the pedal when things are going favorably. Both the Atlanta series and now the Philly series should not have gone six games, maybe 7 for Philly.

[Dino611]

I want to rip out my eyeballs

If Ime is here we would’ve swept the 76ers and would be getting ready for the ECF

Fire Mazzulla or get some good ass assistants to help him with game management because good lord

[TruePoint]

They definitely should have swept this series, I have negative respect for Philly and consider this 100% a Celtics failing rather than anything Philly is doing. But, they pulled this same shit under Ime. In fact they did literally this exact same thing (play a terrible game 5 of the ECSF at home to go down 3-2) last year against a depleted Bucks team.

[STC]

What a truly pathetic performance.

[Dino611]

They definitely should have swept this series, I have negative respect for Philly and consider this 100% a Celtics failing rather than anything Philly is doing. But, they pulled this same shit under Ime. In fact they did literally this exact same thing (play a terrible game 5 of the ECSF at home to go down 3-2) last year against a depleted Bucks team.

The difference though this year is the defensive mentality for me, last year they could buckle up for a quarter and lock down this year not so much

[reef]

Yeah I’m too disgusted to comment ugh

[hrstrat57]

IMO this is the last kick at the can for this group.

Still have a chance to show talent prevails…

[reef]

IMO this is the last kick at the can for this group.

Still have a chance to show talent prevails…

Agree I think there are big changes coming this off-season , this core group can’t get it done

[SGreenwell]

I'm not really sure how much you can shake it up. Smart is the obvious guy to upgrade on / move out, but given how erratic he can be on offense and his accumulation of nagging injuries over the years, I don't think he has a ton of trade value. It would help if they could get a full, healthy year from Time Lord, but I'm naturally pessimistic on the idea of guys getting healthier as they age. They don't have a first round pick - it would have been #28, and instead its Malcolm Brogdon, so that seems like a good return for it. They pick #33 or #35 in the second round, so maybe they can get a rotation player at that point, but you're pretty firmly in the "cross your fingers and pray" portion of the draft.

[TruePoint]

I’m as disgusted with what I watched the other night as anyone, and overall I’m pretty annoyed at how consistently they make things difficult on themselves. That said, I think people are burying them a little prematurely. They haven’t been eliminated yet, they still have the best roster in the league, and they’re clearly capable of going to Philly and winning tomorrow - at which point it’s game back on. (Of course, they’re also capable of going to Philly and winning tomorrow and then blowing game 7 at home, too. That’s just kind of who they are.)

We’ll know a lot more about the next 5 or so years next week when the all-NBA teams are announced. If Jaylen makes a team, they’re going to give him the supermax extension and he’s going to take it. At that point, they’re pretty locked in to this core and they will have so much money tied up in the top of the roster that they aren’t going to be able to go out and add significant pieces - this is kind of what we have to work with for a few years, and there are worse problems to have. Like I said above, I think this is the most talented and deepest roster in the league, and Brad has shown a good eye for adding pieces at the margins.

The one place where I think I would advocate for an upgrade is the head coach. Very hard for me, as a Rhode Island basketball guy that is close to the same generation as Joe and played for a lot of the same teams and coaches, to say that. I think he has a good basketball brain and he probably will be a good coach in the league someday. But he should have been able to learn the job with a Houston or Detroit or Orlando. Putting him at the wheel of this Ferrari was a big gamble and we are agonizingly close to seeing him drive it off a cliff. This team has too many idiotic collapses and no-shows, too many mismanaged end-game situations. The roster begs for a no-nonsense former player that will get and keep the team’s attention. Ime wasn’t perfect with that stuff, either, but they at least listened to him. It’s too bad he couldn’t keep it in his pants.

[NYGFan_Section208]

My brother posted this before last night's game:



Celtics fans pay attention today. Win or lose. The 76ers have Harden AND Embid.
The Celtics do not have an “AND”.
The Celtics do have two great players. But with the Celtics it is Jayson Tatum OR Jaylen Brown. You will see. If Brown has the ball it will be all about Brown . If Tatum has the ball it will be all about Tatum. The possessions rarely incorporate the two working together or passing to each other for that matter. Sure if one gets bottled up they will get to each other but with no flow in the offense. Actually when one of them have the ball the other is “spacing” and watching on the perimeter. They do incorporate the other players quite well just not each other. Watch you will see tonight. Also notice how Embid and Harden try
To feed off each other

I think he nailed it....they aren't going to win a title with both guys unless...they start draining 3s again at the same unsustainable rate they did earlier in the year....which they probably can't because... unsustainable

[SGreenwell]

Eh, I think the concerns about Brown and Tatum being able to play together are somewhat overblown. I think the greater issue is that they do need a consistent third scorer who's different enough that their pick and rolls would be more effective, which is what your brother is definitely getting at, NYG.

Third on the team in MPG is Smart, fourth is Horford, and fifth is Derrick White. Those three are all "OK to above average" on offense, from game to game. Like, LeBron and Anthony Davis can pick-and-roll, and LeBron will toast the center trying to cover Davis, or Davis can shoot over a wing that was on LeBron. Golden State, Green works in P&R with Curry or Thompson. It's tougher for Brown and Tatum to screen for each other, because you just go from a wing to a wing. Upgrading from Horford or Smart probably gets you a more viable player in that sphere.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Eh, I think the concerns about Brown and Tatum being able to play together are somewhat overblown. I think the greater issue is that they do need a consistent third scorer who's different enough that their pick and rolls would be more effective, which is what your brother is definitely getting at, NYG.

Third on the team in MPG is Smart, fourth is Horford, and fifth is Derrick White. Those three are all "OK to above average" on offense, from game to game. Like, LeBron and Anthony Davis can pick-and-roll, and LeBron will toast the center trying to cover Davis, or Davis can shoot over a wing that was on LeBron. Golden State, Green works in P&R with Curry or Thompson. It's tougher for Brown and Tatum to screen for each other, because you just go from a wing to a wing. Upgrading from Horford or Smart probably gets you a more viable player in that sphere.

No, I talked to him about it later and he was saying they don't play well together and I agree. Embid +Harden don't have better players around them than Brown/Tatum...those two just do not play well together, neither does anything to make the other better. Embid and Harden make each other better.

[TruePoint]

Did your brother just emerge from a coma that started in December of 2021 because I remember this was a very popular and common thing for people to say around that time when they were seemingly struggling, but I haven’t heard anyone try to make that case since they have had the best record in the league and the highest net rating over a season and a half since then.

And SG, I don’t think their problem is that they don’t have a third scorer. I think it’s actually the opposite - the thing that makes them so good (when they are going good) is that they have 3 or 4 and maybe even 5 “third scorers” and the unlikelihood that they all go cold at once gives them a lot of ways to win. I don’t think the problem with this team has anything to do with roster construction. To repeat myself, I think it is far and away the most talented and deepest roster in the league. The problem with this team is all between their collective ears. It’s simply a matter of focus - if they play well they will cruise. Even down in this series and facing elimination, they still SHOULD win this series. They’ll be favored in each of these remaining games. It’s just a matter of whether they can get their heads out of their asses in time.

[reef]

I’m as disgusted with what I watched the other night as anyone, and overall I’m pretty annoyed at how consistently they make things difficult on themselves. That said, I think people are burying them a little prematurely. They haven’t been eliminated yet, they still have the best roster in the league, and they’re clearly capable of going to Philly and winning tomorrow - at which point it’s game back on. (Of course, they’re also capable of going to Philly and winning tomorrow and then blowing game 7 at home, too. That’s just kind of who they are.)

We’ll know a lot more about the next 5 or so years next week when the all-NBA teams are announced. If Jaylen makes a team, they’re going to give him the supermax extension and he’s going to take it. At that point, they’re pretty locked in to this core and they will have so much money tied up in the top of the roster that they aren’t going to be able to go out and add significant pieces - this is kind of what we have to work with for a few years, and there are worse problems to have. Like I said above, I think this is the most talented and deepest roster in the league, and Brad has shown a good eye for adding pieces at the margins.

The one place where I think I would advocate for an upgrade is the head coach. Very hard for me, as a Rhode Island basketball guy that is close to the same generation as Joe and played for a lot of the same teams and coaches, to say that. I think he has a good basketball brain and he probably will be a good coach in the league someday. But he should have been able to learn the job with a Houston or Detroit or Orlando. Putting him at the wheel of this Ferrari was a big gamble and we are agonizingly close to seeing him drive it off a cliff. This team has too many idiotic collapses and no-shows, too many mismanaged end-game situations. The roster begs for a no-nonsense former player that will get and keep the team’s attention. Ime wasn’t perfect with that stuff, either, but they at least listened to him. It’s too bad he couldn’t keep it in his pants.

Very well said TP , I feel the same way

[STC]

Tatum 0-10 shooting in first half. I’m at my wits end with him.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Did your brother just emerge from a coma that started in December of 2021 because I remember this was a very popular and common thing for people to say around that time when they were seemingly struggling, but I haven’t heard anyone try to make that case since they have had the best record in the league and the highest net rating over a season and a half since then.

And SG, I don’t think their problem is that they don’t have a third scorer. I think it’s actually the opposite - the thing that makes them so good (when they are going good) is that they have 3 or 4 and maybe even 5 “third scorers” and the unlikelihood that they all go cold at once gives them a lot of ways to win. I don’t think the problem with this team has anything to do with roster construction. To repeat myself, I think it is far and away the most talented and deepest roster in the league. The problem with this team is all between their collective ears. It’s simply a matter of focus - if they play well they will cruise. Even down in this series and facing elimination, they still SHOULD win this series. They’ll be favored in each of these remaining games. It’s just a matter of whether they can get their heads out of their asses in time.

No, but he has coached a team to a state championship, and I understand that doesn't make him Phil Jackson, but I tend to give what he says at least a touch of credence...especially when I can see it with my own eyes. The C's cruised all year because they drained 3s like no one's bidness. Now that that's not happening, and they need to play like everyone else...it ain't working.

Nother observation, that I never would've thought is , it seems like Brown is three to five to ten times tougher than Tatum... I've never been a "split 'em up" guy, but even when it was all the chatter, I thought, you gotta keep Tatum, now I'm not so sure. Guy seems to disappear with the playoff intensity D.

[NYGFan_Section208]

kudos to Tates for canning three consecutive treys...way to totally sack up after three and a half quarters of suck. Biggest shots of the game. Nicely done.

[TruePoint]

Reports of the Celtics demise were greatly exaggerated.

[STC]

Oh my god Celtics let’s go!!!! Please continue to make me look like a clown.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Oh my god Celtics let’s go!!!! Please continue to make ????? look like a clown.

Make "who" look like a clown? Me? Lol, like I need help with that...

[NYGFan_Section208]

If Tatum can just "not suck" for 3 quarters on Sunday...seems they should win easily.
Aside: Dang...that Tyrese Maxey is a fun player to watch....I want him on our team (whatever team that is)

[reef]

Great job going to the double big starting Rob with AL

Huge win Celtics !!

[hrstrat57]

Great job going to the double big starting Rob with AL

Huge win Celtics !!

Going to be fascinating to see Sunday if 76’rs can counter. R Williams was shockingly dominant. Quieted all the Joe M hate for now. Quieted a lot of Marcus Smart haters too. Brogdan did exactly what he was brought here to do. Just money.

Fun series, enjoying it. A wee bit too much yappin’ from Friartown Doris for me though…

[NYGFan_Section208]

Great job going to the double big starting Rob with AL

Huge win Celtics !!

Going to be fascinating to see Sunday if 76’rs can counter. R Williams was shockingly dominant. Quieted all the Joe M hate for now. Quieted a lot of Marcus Smart haters too. Brogdan did exactly what he was brought here to do. Just money.

Fun series, enjoying it. A wee bit too much yappin’ from Friartown Doris for me though…

The only thing I don't like about Joe is the timeouts situation....I know...he's a coach and I'm not. But even Jalen Rose said on the pre-game, something to the effect of, "Joe, you don't get extra points for having timeouts left when the game is over"

[reef]

JT is 1-22 the last 3 games in the 1h

AL is 2-28 from 3 if you take out the 5-7 in G3 and he was 44% from 3 during the season

[NYGFan_Section208]

Great set up tomorrow with late lunch out for Mother's Day, followed by afternoon C's and night time Red Sox (maybe some Kenley?)
It's a beautiful thing.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Tatum seriously nutted up today. There was a play in the first minute or so of the game where he just drove the lane between two guys and rammed it home. It was a good early indicator today was gonna be different

[reef]

Bring on Jimmy Butler , Bam Adebayo , Coach Spo and the Miami Heat

[NYGFan_Section208]

Oh well, the Tatum giveth - 3 Q4 3's against Phlly, and the Tatum taketh away - 3 consecutive Q4 TO's tonite...

[reef]

Ugh I’m so frustrated with these Boston Celtics!!

[ramster]

Oh well, the Tatum giveth - 3 Q4 3's against Phlly, and the Tatum taketh away - 3 consecutive Q4 TO's tonite...

Celts got outscored 46-25 in the 3rd quarter
Mazulla did not call a single time out in that 3rd Q
Reported asked Joe about not calling a Time Out in the disastrous 3rd Q and Mazulla got snippy with him.

[STC]

Spoelstra coaching circles around Mazzula. It was clear which coach made adjustments at halftime.

[ramster]

Celts Miami 8:30 tonight
Mazzulla has been getting criticized on Boston Sports talk shows following the game 1 loss.
He said they were prepared and won the 1st 2 quarters. Critics said what happened in the 3rd Q
Mazzulla got snippy with reporters. He is too new to act like Bill B - Patriots HC.

[ramster]

Jimmy "Freaking" Butler
Not smart for Grant Williams to get in Butler's face. Butler owned Williams after that. Once Butler had a mismatch as Williams was on someone else, Butler dribbled, let Celtics get Williams back on Butler and Butler took it to Williams. Mazzulla finally took Williams out. Butler giving the "too short" sign.

Celtics favored by 10 tonight. Lose both games at home to the 8-seed Heat.

Mazzulla and Celtics not looking good headed to Miami.

[NYGFan_Section208]

You mean Jimmy "Huge Freaking Stud" Butler... Wow, dude can play AND he is in the "dudes in the league I'd never ever want to scrap with" Top 5.

[ramster]

You mean Jimmy "Huge Freaking Stud" Butler... Wow, dude can play AND he is in the "dudes in the league I'd never ever want to scrap with" Top 5.

That is one bear Mazzulla and Williams did not need to go poking

[ramster]

Denver goes up 3-0 vs Lakers. LA was favored by 5 last night
Nikola Jokic has 34 assists in the 3 games. He is a 6'11" 285 pound center
Murray continues his outstanding play
Denver in a position to sweep LA

[Dino611]

Woooofffff

I’ve just got good intel Joe Mazzulla is going bye bye once this series is over

[STC]

This team quit. I never wanna see Mazzula or Grant Williams again.

[JimSidd]

Woooofffff

I’ve just got good intel Joe Mazzulla is going bye bye once this series is over

I don’t think we need any intel to know they have to move on from Mazzulla, even though they extended him. A likely sweep and out one round earlier than last year. You can’t run this back exactly as it is now. The question is, will there be player personnel moves, too?

[ramster]

Woooofffff

I’ve just got good intel Joe Mazzulla is going bye bye once this series is over

This series is over