Celtics 2023 - 2024 Discussion

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Pritchard just killin' da Kings.
He got game.
It's between him and Big Al for best player off the bench. That's a very close call. Both bigtime valuable.
He's 6'1" but a good defender. He can handle anyone up to 6'4" sometimes 6'5" because of both his quickness and his toughness/physicality.
He's got the best handle on the team and there's nobody even close. Not DWhite, not Jrue.
But he brings a nonstop energizer bunny energy, that gets the team going. But Big Al is also invaluable. I love both of em.
The C's top 7 player rotation is unmatched in the nba

Ultimately I think they’ll need to decide if Pritchard is good enough to replace Holiday, who is very expensive and getting old. Seems like Pritchard is a solid NBA point guard who is capable of starting on the right team.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

That game was really fun to watch. I’m glad Mazulla left in the subs given the Celtics aren’t playing for any seeding.

Hauser, wow. It’s not like those were contested 3s. Just one of those days I guess. Seemed lime he would have been 1/1000 of he kept going.

 

[jimnance]

That was a quality win. Exciting finish.
C's had 5 bench players on the floor to close the game.Kings had all their starters cuz they're fighting for playoff positioning . And they're a very good team. Mazzula would not budge no starters going back in which is the right call . #1 seed is wrapped up.
But bench getting extended valuable minutes vs. quality team with all their starters is invaluable.
Pritchard/Brissett/Kornet/Mihaluyk/ Hauser held their own.
Only gonna help the team in the playoffs

 

[rochrist]

Got to say, Hauser certainly made his case that he should absolutely be starting ahead of JB.

 

[jimnance]

Ultimately I think they’ll need to decide if Pritchard is good enough to replace Holiday, who is very expensive and getting old. Seems like Pritchard is a solid NBA point guard who is capable of starting on the right team.

The only problem with Pritchard is when he gets stuck with a 6'6" or up.hiy on a switch. NBA guards are so tall these days. He probably brings enough good stuff to more than offsetvthat,though.
But Jrue is unique. Dude is such a great defender and he's so f'n strong, he can guard power forwards.
Also still a great playmaker and scorer.
I hope there's a way they can keep all their starters next year. Conventional wisdom says no. Some serious payroll creativity seems to be in order.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Got to say, Hauser certainly made his case that he should absolutely be starting ahead of JB.

10-0 without JB

 

[Jim Beankie]

Teams try, he's just really really good. Double him he'll find the open man. Just a great player

He's the NBA all time assists per game (6.9) leader as a center... and 32nd overall. Not sure who these next 2 JAGs are... Chamberlain (4.4) and Russell (4.3). Actually, I only see 1 forward ahead of him, and that's Lebron.

Nuts that 24.5 / 11.8 / 9.8 didn't get him the MVP last year. Point Center.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Yep. It's definitely been a fun season

Also, if my math is right, if they win their remaining six games by an average of 17 points I believe they'll have the highest point differential in NBA history (don't hold me to this)

Should be out of reach now (23ppg for remaining).

 

[Jim Beankie]

Got to say, Hauser certainly made his case that he should absolutely be starting ahead of JB.

It's been fun reading abt the worst shooting performances in history like the Rockets 27 straight missed 3s in a Game 7. Some days (like JT's 1-18 4 years ago), they shouldn't have bothered to show up. Hopefully Hauser got it out of his system.

I wonder if growing up, he had a streak of bad shooting and developed the nickname Brick (Hauser) then proceeded to work endlessly to become a sharpshooter in order to never have to be called that again. Brick showed up last night tho.

 

[aluminum seats]

He's the NBA all time assists per game (6.9) leader as a center... and 32nd overall. Not sure who these next 2 JAGs are... Chamberlain (4.4) and Russell (4.3). Actually, I only see 1 forward ahead of him, and that's Lebron.

Nuts that 24.5 / 11.8 / 9.8 didn't get him the MVP last year. Point Center.

Even more nuts is that you still have some "analysts" putting him down. Which is mostly just stupid racism, but still pretty hilarious

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Even more nuts is that you still have some "analysts" putting him down. Which is mostly just stupid racism, but still pretty hilarious

Has to be said that race played a part in Embiid winning MVP last year. Also I think the voters felt he played well enough over the last few years that he shouldn’t come away with nothing. But Jokic was clearly the better player and deserved MVP and this should be 4 in a row.

 

[aluminum seats]

@Ice_Ice_Brady 100% combination of those two things. The second reason doesn't even really bother me that much

 

[1960Pats]

Will never happen. Only chance something like that happens is if the defense pressures Tatum so much that they can’t get the inbound to him. Like the Miami game last season the ball found its way to Smart because he was the only guy open.

Just gotta hope Tatum gets lucky and finally hits one at the right time. He shoots so many that one has to fall eventually. Cross our fingers.

Tatum's the exact opposite of Larry Bird. During all his years I can't remember Bird missing many shots in crunch time. Tatum misses far more than he makes.

And Brown really needs to work on his foul shooting. That will kill them in close games.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

@Ice_Ice_Brady 100% combination of those two things. The second reason doesn't even really bother me that much

It’s just a normal thing unless you’re Peyton Manning.

 

[bresna]

I think the Celtics should rest all of the starters tonight. It's a meaningless game for the Celtics but it can easily give the Bucks momentum going into the playoffs if they beat them with all of their starters.

 

[aluminum seats]

A nothing game today. Weird to not take a free throw. Sort of like that they lost if we're being honest

Time for the playoffs

 

[bresna]

Last night's game against the Bucks was boring as heck and pretty infuriating from a refereeing standpoint. I stand by earlier comment - they should have rested more (all?) of the starters. As it was, they seemed to play "All Star Game defense" so why even bother having their best players on the floor? It looked like they were experimenting on the D at times. Sam Hauser on Giannis one on one?? Really?

As for the refs... the announcers said several times that the refs are getting ready for the playoffs too. If this is the way the playoffs will be called, they're gonna suck. I get that they need to let players get physical down low but when someone goes for a layup or jam & they get hit on the shooting arm, that's a foul and if they don't call that in the playoffs, Tatum & Brown are in trouble.

 

[jimnance]

Nothing in life is free

 

[aluminum seats]

Nothing in life is free

Is that basketball related Jim, or were you just feeling philosophical this morning

 

[Zuma]