Celtics 2023 - 2024 Discussion

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I genuinely believe that Pacers team is underrated and would be a really tough out for most teams in the league. In all honesty Carlisle blew at least one, arguably two games for them against the Celtics.

If they could shore up their defense a bit this offseason they can be back in the ECF.

Pacers and Heat are both theoretically (with healthy players) challenging to stop for the Celtics. They usually have quick ball movement and four good shooters. Really the only way to beat the Celtics defense (or any defense) is to move the ball quickly and drain shots.

The Mavs were so ill equipped, trying to win everything off the dribble.

 

[VrabelJr]

If I’m the Pacers I’m feeling very disrespected right now.

 

[Tunescribe]

As a Bostonian on the younger side I can say with confidence that these young athletes want to go and party and let’s face it Miami is a better spot to do it than Boston, which I’m sure they’ve already exhausted those spots. Miami is where they find the Instagram models, hit up the biggest clubs, party on yachts etc.

They can do all that on their own time. They should've just hung around for the parade then do whatever. This is an organized team trip by athletes who represent a legendary franchise held dear by the City of Boston and its fans. At best it's an odd look. Kind of makes them look like a pack of mercenaries.

 

[maust]

If I’m the Pacers I’m feeling very disrespected right now.

 

[aluminum seats]

They can do all that on their own time. They should've just hung around for the parade then do whatever. This is an organized team trip by athletes who represent a legendary franchise held dear by the City of Boston and its fans. At best it's an odd look. Kind of makes them look like a pack of mercenaries.

It is their own time. I honestly don’t get what you’re going on about here. Is it an odd look when a family loads up the station wagon and goes to Disneyland? They’re taking a vacation, and they actually want to do it together. How does that make them look like mercenaries?

 

[Kdo5]

They can do all that on their own time. They should've just hung around for the parade then do whatever. This is an organized team trip by athletes who represent a legendary franchise held dear by the City of Boston and its fans. At best it's an odd look. Kind of makes them look like a pack of mercenaries.

Meh I feel like people are being too crotchety about this thing. These guys just delivered the city a championship and several years of great basketball and counting.

Go to Miami, have fun, get some ladies and enjoy the night life. Who the heck are we to complain?

Much as it would be nice for Jaylen Brown to come visit your local nearby dive bar and party with the fans that’s just not how young athletes are nowadays.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

Finally home from work. So many emotions, so much love for this team.

I'll start with Dallas and Indy. I personally think they are both very good teams who simply ran into a buzzsaw. The media is ripping Dallas for poor play in the Finals. The fact is Boston played out of their minds on both ends of the court, and not a single team they ran into could keep up. I expect both teams to be right back in the thick of it next season.

I'm not the least bit surprised that Brown won MVP, but man did Tatum do everything he could last night to make it a tough choice. It was good to see him exorcise some demons while Dallas could only watch. When that turnaround jumper is hitting he simply can't be stopped.

As amazing as Tatum and Brown were, the lesser heroes will be the ones I remember. Horford played way more in the regular and postseason than expected and did everything that was asked of him. To hear his teammates talk about him, his presence might be the single biggest contributor to the maturation of this team. I hope he stays one more year, but I will completely respect it if he rides off into the sunset.

Holliday and White may have put on the best postseason defensive performance by a backcourt in this century over the last 2 months. I'm not a big ESPN guy but Canty this morning made the great point (while they were talking about White leaving his teeth everywhere) that this team was not just incredibly talented, but how much more they just wanted it than anyone else. That combination is obviously lethal.

Hauser really came to play this series after a lackluster ECF. Awesome to see. Pritchard's 3 was the final nail. Dallas never recovered. Never have I wanted to be in the Garden as much as I did at that moment.

As everyone knows, winning a championship is REALLY HARD, and many things have to go right. This team is certainly good enough to repeat, but I assume nothing. But just like 2008, even if they don't win it again, it won't take away the magic of this season for me. Others may disagree, but when all the pieces are assembled, I believe this team ranks up there with the greats.

I'm with ya. they played so hard defensively. The "teeth" really tells the story of this team -- even though they were favorites, they were dawgs. It was really something. Brown has really become a great defender. Hell, even Hauser looked good defensively!

 

[Tunescribe]

Meh I feel like people are being too crotchety about this thing. These guys just delivered the city a championship and several years of great basketball and counting.

Go to Miami, have fun, get some ladies and enjoy the night life. Who the heck are we to complain?

Much as it would be nice for Jaylen Brown to come visit your local nearby dive bar and party with the fans that’s just not how young athletes are nowadays.

I don't think you're getting my point. It's not a matter of begrudging them having fun or their hedonism/debauchery, nobody cares about that. It's that as a TEAM, they're inextricably tied to/represent BOSTON. So fresh off a title win they officially have to go somewhere far away to enjoy it together? THEN come back to do the parade before scattering for the offseason? It's a snub, no two ways about it. And when you talk about "get some ladies," many if not most of those guys have significant others, either wives or girlfriends. A pretty big entourage making the "scene" down there with them and probably kids included. Pretty odd.

 

[Kdo5]

I don't think you're getting my point. It's not a matter of begrudging them having fun or their hedonism/debauchery, nobody cares about that. It's that as a TEAM, they're inextricably tied to/represent BOSTON. So fresh off a title win they officially have to go somewhere far away to enjoy it together? THEN come back to do the parade before scattering for the offseason? It's a snub, no two ways about it. And when you talk about "get some ladies," many if not most of those guys have significant others, either wives or girlfriends. A pretty big entourage making the "scene" down there with them and probably kids included. Pretty odd.

Ever consider the idea that these guys are at the peak of their popularity and would be outright worshipped and swamped by hundreds if not thousands of adoring fans in Boston?

That’s overwhelming. If I’m going on trip to celebrate I think Miami might be more relaxing than having to keep your head low to avoid every single person here asking for a picture or autograph.

It’s no secret that athletes love Miami. You and others are making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Ya Pritch took 3 steps on the 49 footer no question. I hate how lax they are with the travelling/Euro step BS.

I don’t even know the NBA traveling rules anymore. Someone on ESPN broke it down and showed it in slow mo to show it wasn’t travel citing something in the rulebook. Some of those step back 3s sure look like travels as well. Seems they let players take 3 steps all the time but then call travels when a planted pivot foots moves like 1 mm. I need some kind of tutorial because it’s confusing.

 

[1960Pats]

He was put in the game for that exact reason. I would bet he can hit 2 out 10 of these shots in practice. Someone should have asked him that question post game.
I actually called it as soon as I saw PP on the floor.

I leaped out of my chair with a "he did it again" scream.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

 

[1960Pats]

So weird how all these other fanbases are jealous of Tatum or obsessed that he’s overrated. But they think Celtics fans care about where he ranks. I never see any Celtics fans stanning to rank Jayson Tatum high on any list.

I was on the opposite side of that and I even have a thread around here calling Tatum overrated. But then I looked more closely and he came out in the top 5. This title could move him up a notch too.

 

[1960Pats]

It is their own time. I honestly don’t get what you’re going on about here. Is it an odd look when a family loads up the station wagon and goes to Disneyland? They’re taking a vacation, and they actually want to do it together. How does that make them look like mercenaries?

This is the second comment I've seen in response to someone who's talking **** about the Celts partying in Miami. Since I didn't see his comment I must have him on ignore. I think I made a good choice.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I was on the opposite side of that and I even have a thread around here calling Tatum overrated. But then I looked more closely and he came out in the top 5. This title could move him up a notch too.

I just think for whatever reason Celtics fans have never been rabid about ranking Tatum. It’s not like we’re writing articles and dedicating Twitter accounts to making sure he gets his proper due like we might with someone like Brady, Gronkowski, Pedro, or even making passionate all star cases for someone like White, Edelman, etc. There are tons of NBA fans who do this for their favorite player.

So it’s amusing when there’s so many toxic social media posts about Tatum and why he shouldn’t be ranked over so and so. Do any of us really care? Okay, so Brunson deserved All NBA first team you say? Whatever…not something Celtics fans really care about.

Tatum is an adaptable player who can play different roles to help you win. I love the Scottie Pippen in him, who I think might be the most underrated basketball player of all time. But like Pippen, Tatum is difficult to rank on these lists. He isn’t as alpha dominant on offense as at least ten (maybe fifteen) guys in the league but he’s probably one of the top 3 foundation players who you can build a great team around. Other than Jokic, prime Steph, and prime Kawhi, there’s no other 25-30 ppg scorer who also elevates teammates like Tatum.

 

[1960Pats]

For a team with so much bad luck in the last 40 years or so, they've done well to move past the Lakers. It would be great to see the C's put together a few more wins and put a little distance between them. They have a deep enough team to do some damage in the next few years.

When I saw that Jerry West had died it reminded me of something he said many years ago that stuck with me, that his only regret was that he never beat the Celtics. He had the misfortune of playing in the same era as Bill Russell. Hopefully, there'll be younger opponents who'll have the same experience as West had with the Celtics.

 

[Tunescribe]

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Looks just like a Miami chick

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Postseason BPM

White - 5.3
Porzingis - 4.6
Tatum - 3.7
Horford - 3.1
Holiday - 2.8
Brown - 1.8
Hauser - 1.1
Pritchard - -1.5

White remains king of advanced stats. That said, I believe Brown deserved Finals MVP and was brilliant in the ECF and Finals, especially on defense against Luka.

I am just surprised that, again, Brown, Tatum, and even Holiday were heavily discussed for the postseason awards and White wasn’t even mentioned. He was their most consistent player and a top 2/3 most impactful player in G1, G2, G3, and G5.

Also he hit so many contested 3s down the stretch, often with the shot clock rush, despite the perception that he gets so many more open looks than most guards.

It’s remarkable how well Horford played at his age.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don’t even know the NBA traveling rules anymore. Someone on ESPN broke it down and showed it in slow mo to show it wasn’t travel citing something in the rulebook. Some of those step back 3s sure look like travels as well. Seems they let players take 3 steps all the time but then call travels when a planted pivot foots moves like 1 mm. I need some kind of tutorial because it’s confusing.

I played in HS, AAU, club in college, mens leagues, etc and even a little officiating. I would like to think I know what traveling is/isn't.

I no longer have the foggiest idea except what I see players get away with.

I have no clue what the NBA formally defines as a travel once the ball has been "gathered" once the dribble has completed or after the pivot foot had been established.