Celtics 2023 - 2024 Discussion

[RobertWeathers]

Easily. He's one of the best onball defenders in the nba now. That took a lot of work and effort to be.
He's way more unselfish and smarter than he was.
I was down on him early in the season,
deservedly so. I said he needed to take a long cold hard look at himself in the mirror and do some serious self-evaluation.
He obviously did that.
Gotta give him credit as it's not easy for an 8yr vet with star power to make big adjustments to his game.
He's one of the reasons I have big confidence in this team- more than any squad since the last Championship

We all had concerns with his ball handling, decision making, focus on D and tendency to go iso too often but while he still does these things every now and then he does them less than years prior. Seems more in control and at peace with his game.

Part of me thinks getting the pay day calmed him down. Just a guess.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Easily. He's one of the best onball defenders in the nba now.

He has gotten eaten alive by Donovan Mitchell tonight. They just just showed 3 straight replays of Mitchell juking him out of his pants.

Mazzula so stubborn to stick with this matchup.

Brown is a good defender on the post against power guys - he can be physical - but not very good backing up against quicker players.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Just a garbage game from everyone. 3 pointers playing a factor but it’s more than that. I still think they’ll win in 5-6.

 

[aluminum seats]

I still think they’ll win in 5-6.

Me too I guess, but this f'n team

 

[Tunescribe]

Me too I guess, but this f'n team

Getting manhandled by an inferior team on your home court like this is pathetic. The Celtics have zero killer instinct.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Getting manhandled by an inferior team on your home court like this is pathetic. The Celtics have zero killer instinct.

A bit over the top. I agree with you in general, but the Celtics can not win every game. There shooting was off. We will see. Let's not overreact with "the Celtics have zero killer instincts". No team is likely to win 4 in a row. Denver is down 0 - 2.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

A bit over the top. I agree with you in general, but the Celtics can not win every game. There shooting was off. We will see. Let's not overreact with "the Celtics have zero killer instincts". No team is likely to win 4 in a row. Denver is down 0 - 2.

I usually don’t blame coaches for stuff, but it’s concerning just how horribly the team has looked out of sync in consecutive Game 2s after opponent had made adjustments. These teams are both huge talent mismatches.

 

[Tunescribe]

A bit over the top. I agree with you in general, but the Celtics can not win every game. There shooting was off. We will see. Let's not overreact with "the Celtics have zero killer instincts". No team is likely to win 4 in a row. Denver is down 0 - 2.

"Over the top"? Hardly. Boston arguably is the best team in the league. You win those first two at home and sure as hell don't get blown out in one of them. Their ability (determination) to put their foot on an opponent's neck when down has been suspect throughout Mazzulla's tenure. Denver going 0-2 is all the more reason to up their game.

 

[Real fan 02]

He has gotten eaten alive by Donovan Mitchell tonight. They just just showed 3 straight replays of Mitchell juking him out of his pants.

Mazzula so stubborn to stick with this matchup.

Brown is a good defender on the post against power guys - he can be physical - but not very good backing up against quicker players.

The shots weren't falling. Game 1 they were. Cleveland is a tough out. Mitchell has been an issue since he was traded to the east. I really don't know wich celtics team will show up. The 64 win team or the team who played last night and game 2 against Miami. To get blown out on your home floor is embarrassing. They were down 2 of thier key guys and still beat us. Feels like a 7 game series.

 

[Real fan 02]

"Over the top"? Hardly. Boston arguably is the best team in the league. You win those first two at home and sure as hell don't get blown out in one of them. Their ability (determination) to put their foot on an opponent's neck when down has been suspect throughout Mazzulla's tenure. Denver going 0-2 is all the more reason to up their game.

Agreed. But I think celtics are the best team in the east not the league. That Minnesota team is fierce and will be in the finals. I'll never count us out. But in the playoffs every possession matters. Mitchell has given us problems since he came to the eastern conference. Wade was out, Allen out.. they still dominated us.

 

[Real fan 02]

Getting manhandled by an inferior team on your home court like this is pathetic. The Celtics have zero killer instinct.

Exactly right.

 

[aluminum seats]

Feels like a 7 game series.

I'll try to do glass half full

The Celtics issue has long been taking situations lightly whenever they can. I saw a couple of scary stats, the Celtics have failed to sweep the first two home games in seven of their last eight playoff series, and are 14-17 their last 31 playoff games

What this usually means isn't so much that they will lose any given series, but they wear themselves down so much that they don't have the sharpness and ability to go all the way

The glass half full thought here is that after they lost game two against the heat they took care of business. If they do the same thing here, I'll feel good about this team again--this was only one game, Cleveland shot lights out, etc. But if this series goes seven, forget about it.

 

[Real fan 02]

I'll try to do glass half full

The Celtics issue has long been taking situations lightly whenever they can. I saw a couple of scary stats, the Celtics have failed to sweep the first two home games in seven of their last eight playoff series, and are 14-17 their last 31 playoff games

What this usually means isn't so much that they will lose any given series, but they wear themselves down so much that they don't have the sharpness and ability to go all the way

The glass half full thought here is that after they lost game two against the heat they took care of business. If they do the same thing here, I'll feel good about this team again--this was only one game, Cleveland shot lights out, etc. But if this series goes seven, forget about it.

I'll agree with you. Each possession in the playoffs is vital.. as we've seen last night. Up 9 , to down 9 in the first quarter. Cleveland is a more talented team than mami wich pretty much was the Maine celtics roster we played last series. I look around the league and analyze.. we won 64 games and easily could've won 70 plus.. we had some duds and tough losses as the season is a long grind. This team is a veteran team.. with championship pedigree in Holliday who's a quiet leader. Championship teams always protect thier home court as that's what you play 82 games for to secure home court. Even without KP we still are a talented team however I don't believe we reach the finals without him. No answer for Mitchell the guy has his way with our defense. I'll use this analysis look at how Minnesota is built.. a lock down defense in the paint and the perimeter.. a superstar that everyone else feeds off. Defense is what wins in the playoffs.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Knicks will be rested and waiting. Feels like it's their year.

 

[Real fan 02]

Knicks will be rested and waiting. Feels like it's their year.

I'm thinking Knicks wolves finals.. if so can guarantee McDaniels shuts down Brunson

 

[Kdo5]

Bad loss all around. Quite a disappointment, I thought we legitimately would win this in 5. We still may but dropping a game at home is always particularly bothersome.

 

[jimnance]

Just a bad game on both sides of the ball.
They deserved to get booed.
Not worth dissecting.
Just see how they come out in game 3. I expect them to show some fight.
They're gonna need it,Allen might be back

 

[jimnance]

I'm thinking Knicks wolves finals.. if so can guarantee McDaniels shuts down Brunson

Nah, can't go there yet. I still see C's in Finals and Wolves are likely to be there. I can't count out Denver until they're out but it depends on how healthy Murray is.

 

[maust]

Getting manhandled by an inferior team on your home court like this is pathetic. The Celtics have zero killer instinct.

Watching this team there are too many times I get the impression they are playing with their food. That is, it comes off as though they feel they can just turn it on at any time. Right up to the moment they can't. But then I have to consider this isn't the same league we came of age following, where it was full on cutthroat every moment. These players have more playoff games to get through and seem able to just readily accept that they're going to have bad nights. Despite our possibly out of date expectations, maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing. After all, it's a brave new world we live in my friend

 

[RobertWeathers]

Nah, can't go there yet. I still see C's in Finals and Wolves are likely to be there. I can't count out Denver until they're out but it depends on how healthy Murray is.

Yep. C's as still going to the finals.