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Post by Roadrunner on Mar 20, 2023 22:06:28 GMT -5
RR. You just took the title of my next thread: I've some even more bad news for you guys:D For if we have to face Mia, Phi, Mil, we're not winning all of those series. I'm thinking we could beat Mia, & Philly and that's it. This team isn't going to win 4 straight series vs those teams IMHO let alone the finals... If, a big IF, BOS has Smart, Brogdon, and Williams available for the playoffs, I think BOS will beat MIA, PHI, and MIL, however the team will be gassed like last year in the Final. Now, if you peruse the West, there are (8), yes 8 teams that could win the West, and there should be no 4-0, 4-1 series. |
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Post by meangreen on Mar 21, 2023 19:21:23 GMT -5
Ehhh, you've more confidence in them even w/Smart, Brogdon, & RWIII than I do RR. I'm by no means rooting for them to fall apart, loose, etc. But this team has done a turnaround in the past say 2 seasons or so. A Cs fan that I work with made a great point to me recently. He said that we used to be the team that would hang around & overcome big leads. Now the tables have turned. We have become the team that is more likely to give up big leads. Even more so w/o a stopper or a guy who can consistently drive a stake through the hearts of opposing team's major comebacks. Jmost has already pointed out a few chinks in the armor of the coach so who knows if his lack of experience will hurt us in the playoffs like it already has in the reg season? I'm not saying its time to panic per se, but there's no doubt the needle is at "reasons to be concerned" & moving closer to panic than the other way...
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Post by Roadrunner on Mar 22, 2023 21:49:45 GMT -5
Ehhh, you've more confidence in them even w/Smart, Brogdon, & RWIII than I do RR. I'm by no means rooting for them to fall apart, loose, etc. But this team has done a turnaround in the past say 2 seasons or so. A Cs fan that I work with made a great point to me recently. He said that we used to be the team that would hang around & overcome big leads. Now the tables have turned. We have become the team that is more likely to give up big leads. Even more so w/o a stopper or a guy who can consistently drive a stake through the hearts of opposing team's major comebacks. Jmost has already pointed out a few chinks in the armor of the coach so who knows if his lack of experience will hurt us in the playoffs like it already has in the reg season? I'm not saying its time to panic per se, but there's no doubt the needle is at "reasons to be concerned" & moving closer to panic than the other way... I think the difference you are referring to is talented versus not talented. Many seasons, Coach Brad would take a not talented team and over achieved. Then, he had the talented team and under achieved. note - Smart didn't look right on defense last night, and that is trending. |
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Post by jmost on Mar 23, 2023 10:43:59 GMT -5
He's admitted being hurt for a while. I noticed Joe went with White down the stretch instead of Smart. Maybe, with a decent lead, it was an opportunity to rest Smart.
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Post by Roadrunner on Mar 23, 2023 21:53:05 GMT -5
He's admitted being hurt for a while. I noticed Joe went with White down the stretch instead of Smart. Maybe, with a decent lead, it was an opportunity to rest Smart. Smart has lost that edge, especially with quick players. |
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Post by meangreen on Mar 24, 2023 17:45:51 GMT -5
You bring up an interesting point RR. IMHO I don't think it's necessarily about talent though. I agree Brad got the most out of his teams but again IMHO the only team that he had that underachieved was Kyrie's last year with us. Kyrie practically single-handedly played us out of the series we lost in particular the last game if my memory serves me correctly. When your top gun flakes out on you in the big moment w/o your two young studs being able to pick up the slack it's going to be tough sledding. I can't recall any of Brad's teams besides that one being big favs in the playoffs during his run & loosing. Most of his playoff appearances they were mostly underdogs(the one series vs Philly sticks out here. I think Philly was either 1 or 2 that year) or close to even. Can you recall (or anyone else for that matter) any of his other teams that should've gone further & didn't?...
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Post by jmost on Mar 24, 2023 21:23:46 GMT -5
There was one year when Kyrie and Hayward were both out for the playoffs and we went 7 vs LeBron's Cavs. We probably should have won that series but shot terribly in Game 7.
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Post by meangreen on Mar 25, 2023 14:24:16 GMT -5
I don't remember that series too well JMo but even then were we favored in that series let alone to win it all? We might've been one of the teams that had a shot but I don't remember too many times/years under Brad when it was believed to be our year & we didn't go as far as we should let alone win the title that's all. Save for the year I remember & maybe the one you mentioned. I think for the most part Brad got all he could out of his teams. We might've under-performed in a series(s) but I don't think too many of Brad's teams underachieved or didn't go as far as they should've. I don't think last year's team w/Doke underachieved but under-performed, I mean we made it to the finals. Wasn't Philly the [HASH]1 seed last yr I think & lost in the 2nd rd of the playoffs? Again. That's huge a under-achievement & it's been River's M.O. save for when he'd 3 HOFs w/the Cs. IMHO I think there's a good chance this team could underachieve more so than I did w/the teams under Brad & you could argue the talent of this team is better than almost any of Brad's teams. I hope I'm wrong & will joyfully, happily, willingly eat crow if I'm wrong (just please let me have it in a variety of ways. Bbq, fried, baked, etc:)
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Post by jmost on Mar 25, 2023 20:43:19 GMT -5
I don't think we've ever been considered the best team heading into the playoffs in the last 10 years. Last year may have been the closest, because our second half was so good.
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Post by meangreen on Mar 28, 2023 18:14:49 GMT -5
I think you're right JMo. It could be the same this year though I think those bad losses to Hou, Bkn, & a couple others down this home stretch might keep us from being the favs to come out of the east at least. If not for those bad bumps in the road we'd be the favs IMHO. So how do you top last year? Realistically you'd have to say anything short of a title is underachieving but since this team isn't playing as well this same time as last years' team I'd also say realistically the bar has been lowered somewhat for m at least though I don't know what fans overall think. This team should win the 1st two rds of the playoffs w/at the most 4 losses (not including a 4-3 win in the 2nd rd), probably 3 to be honest. Any more than that & I think the finals becomes much more difficult to reach let alone win...
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Post by jmost on Apr 3, 2023 7:00:30 GMT -5
I just looked back at the season and against the Top 3 teams in the West (DEN, MEM, SAC) and the Top 2 in the East (MIL, PHI) we are 10-2, with the only losses being at DEN and at MIL (we were missing 4 starters). That gives me some hope that we can rise to the occasion. I still believe we are the best team IF everyone plays their best. The question is, can we do that often enough?
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Post by meangreen on Apr 3, 2023 19:26:39 GMT -5
You're not too far from being right JMo. I believe we're the best team under the same conditions. I've seen a few championship teams in my day & obviously you have too as well as others here I'm sure. But did anyone else have that sinking feeling during the Mil game that the Bucks were going to make a run & we'd have to pull the game out of the fire despite Mil having 4 gms in 6 nights or whatever it was? Even when we were up 40 plus I don't know about you guys but the lead couldn't get big enough for me. I've that same sinking feeling now whenever we're up big early in a game. I can't remember any title contending team let alone any Celtics' title teams that I had that feeling about. Can any of you? That's the question or at least in part you're asking JMo & I'm right along w/you can we do it enough?...Btw, I think if we get a draw where we have to only play 1 of Mil or Phi that would be a big help for us too. It seem like we always have a hard draw in the playoffs always having to play Mil on top of one of the other tougher teams...
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