Celtics 2024-2025 Discussion

[aluminum seats]

I think we tend to overreact to losses. Jrue Holiday is not a great player right now and isn’t the reason we lost G3. I still think he’s getting too many minutes when he’s available. He’s a great bench option to provide steady ball movement and is still a plus defender but is an overall liability on offense and closer to average than elite on defense. Pritchard is overall a better player and White is a far better player. Just the reality of a soon to be 35 year-old in decline. He can be the Al Horford of the back court.

Always appreciate your not being afraid to have contrary opinions, but I do think you are underselling Holiday a bit here, even at his more advanced age. There’s not a lot of guys I’d rather have on defense in important situations than Jrue, and there are little things he does that are difficult to quantify (and I know sometimes with players “intangibles” can be overstated) that really do bring a lot to the table and translate to wins.

 

[jimnance]

I think we tend to overreact to losses. Jrue Holiday is not a great player right now and isn’t the reason we lost G3. I still think he’s getting too many minutes when he’s available. He’s a great bench option to provide steady ball movement and is still a plus defender but is an overall liability on offense and closer to average than elite on defense. Pritchard is overall a better player and White is a far better player. Just the reality of a soon to be 35 year-old in decline. He can be the Al Horford of the back court.

I agree he is not the same player he was a few years ago.
But I also think you're underselling him.
DWhite is a better overall player but there are things defensively that Jrue can do that Derrick cant: namely,Jrue can guard power forward and hold his ground and be effective- especially when the guy is trying to back you down. DW just doesn't have enough strength to stop the guy and his shot blocking doesn't really come into play because when a guy is backing you down in the low post you have to hold your ground and not create space, which is what shotblockers need. Take away a shotblockers space and they can't block shots. Jrue not only has strength but also skill. Is DWhite a better overall defender right now? Yes. But in this particular series Jrues unique defensive skill is missed.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Always appreciate your not being afraid to have contrary opinions, but I do think you are underselling Holiday a bit here, even at his more advanced age. There’s not a lot of guys I’d rather have on defense in important situations than Jrue, and there are little things he does that are difficult to quantify (and I know sometimes with players “intangibles” can be overstated) that really do bring a lot to the table and translate to wins.

To say he is phasing into the Al Horford of the offense isn’t supposed to be an insult but maybe I was a little too negative about him.

He’s very versatile and can even guard bigs, and he makes switching / pick and rolls very tough on offenses. I concur with @jimnance

Horford is still a valuable player for the Celtics and picks his spots based on need, matchups, and rest. He’d probably not be so appreciated at the moment if he were playing starter minutes every night. I see the same type of role being in Holiday’s best interest, and the team’s best interest, beginning soon, if not now. I wouldn’t plan on him giving 30+ minutes. If they didn’t have Pritchard I wouldn’t be so hasty.

 

[jimnance]

To say he is phasing into the Al Horford of the offense isn’t supposed to be an insult but maybe I was a little too negative about him.

He’s very versatile and can even guard bigs, and he makes switching / pick and rolls very tough on offenses. I concur with @jimnance

Horford is still a valuable player for the Celtics and picks his spots based on need, matchups, and rest. He’d probably not be so appreciated at the moment if he were playing starter minutes every night. I see the same type of role being in Holiday’s best interest, and the team’s best interest, beginning soon, if not now. I wouldn’t plan on him giving 30+ minutes. If they didn’t have Pritchard I wouldn’t be so hasty.

What used to be the biggest worry we all had about PP playing expanded minutes?
Defense. NOT ANYMORE!
I seriously believe Pritchard's D has equaled his O.
He is a very good defender and he is absolutely starter quality. Further, he is a better player than half the starting point guards in the nba. Chew on that.
At 6'1" this is not supposed to happen in today's nba. Kid is incredible

 

[maust]

Celtics able to take the game back in the 3rd with Banchero on the bench in foul trouble. Trouble that Brown put him in by taking his ass to school. Just smart ball, gotta tip the cap to JB there with the savvy veteran play

 

[Kdo5]

Tatum killed it this round. That flip when Banchero went to the bench was insane. The Magic are a pain in the ass to score against but their shooting was horrendous.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Giannis is basically KD 2.0. Media continues to white wash him despite him being a consistently dirty, annoying, constantly trash talking player. Thinks he’s above it all. Gets every whistle. Always *****ing and beefing. Always whining about disrespect, etc. Dude will continue to get the media ball-washing treatment like KD until one day when everyone is sick of his antics.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Tatum killed it this round. That flip when Banchero went to the bench was insane. The Magic are a pain in the ass to score against but their shooting was horrendous.

This has been Tatum’s best season. He’s been awesome and improved on both his decision making and finishing. May be surprising that I say this because Brown didn’t have a great efficiency season, but I think this was also his best season…much less dribbling into traps, more patient. For all the talk about these two having a dream team supporting cast, they really didn’t this year because of injuries, guys just jogging through the season, etc.

White was great this year, maybe elite, in fact, but he was really transcendent in the 2023-24 regular season, should have been All NBA.

Cs didn’t have a lot of depth and support at all compared to teams like Cleveland and OKC. The “best supporting cast” of any superstar to negate Tatum’s MVP run was more of a theoretical “they have the best supporting cast based on roster” rather than “they are playing with the best supporting cast.”

Now, however, they are pretty close with everyone back (except Jrue) and rested for the playoffs.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Giannis is basically KD 2.0. Media continues to white wash him despite him being a consistently dirty, annoying, constantly trash talking player. Thinks he’s above it all. Gets every whistle. Always *****ing and beefing. Always whining about disrespect, etc. Dude will continue to get the media ball-washing treatment like KD until one day when everyone is sick of his antics.

Greek is now LeBron. Uber-talented, transcendent player who has become a winey primadonna

 

[RobertWeathers]

Read this am JT was the 2nd Celtic in history to score over 35 in 3 consec playoff games.

1st... Hick from French Lick.

31/11/5 for the series.

Glad these punks are out with the trash.

Onward!

Suggest watching E9 of Celtics City. Focus is on these Celtics.

 

[Real fan 02]

Read this am JT was the 2nd Celtic in history to score over 35 in 3 consec games.

1st... Hick from French Lick.

31/11/5 for the series.

Glad these punks are out with the trash.

Onward!

Suggest watching E9 of Celtics City. Focus is on these Celtics.

Agreed. Guys need to rest and rehab up.. I'm rooting for the pistons.. I want to see them next series..

 

[RobertWeathers]

Agreed. Guys need to rest and rehab up.. I'm rooting for the pistons.. I want to see them next series..

Tough call. Pistons are scrappy, lack playoff experience and well coached. Knicks are well coached, more talented, soft and we own them.

Either team we play, we should win in 5 or 6 games

 

[Real fan 02]

Tough call. Pistons are scrappy, lack playoff experience and well coached. Knicks are well coached, more talented, soft and we own them.

Either team we play, we should win in 5 or 6 games

That's exactly why I want the Pistons.. we've seen this play out before.

one team owns another in the regular season then come post season the tables are turned. I'll take the lesser experienced team. We will be in a 7 game battle with Cleveland in the ECFs...

 

[RobertWeathers]

That's exactly why I want the Pistons.. we've seen this play out before.

one team owns another in the regular season then come post season the tables are turned. I'll take the lesser experienced team. We will be in a 7 game battle with Cleveland in the ECFs...

Ok but I don't see the Knicks getting tougher and more disciplined in the playoffs and it sure isn't happening vs DET

 

[Real fan 02]

Ok but I don't see the Knicks getting tougher and more disciplined in the playoffs and it sure isn't happening vs DET

I agree. Whoever we play I expect us to handle. I just won't sleep on the Knicks... Detroit as u mentioned is a very impressive young team.

 

[aluminum seats]

Tatum killed it this round. That flip when Banchero went to the bench was insane. The Magic are a pain in the ass to score against but their shooting was horrendous.

I had to do something so couldn’t watch after there was a couple minutes played in the third, and when I checked back in shortly thereafter the Celtics were up 25, I was like what the hell just happened

 

[jimnance]

I had to do something so couldn’t watch after there was a couple minutes played in the third, and when I checked back in shortly thereafter the Celtics were up 25, I was like what the hell just happened

I think score was tied in the 3rd quarter when I dozed off...When I woke up C's were up 30 in the 4th. I was like "wtf?!!" but obviously in a good way.

 

[maust]

I think score was tied in the 3rd quarter when I dozed off...When I woke up C's were up 30 in the 4th. I was like "wtf?!!" but obviously in a good way.

Mazzula and Jaylen Brown taking Mosely and Paolo Banchero to school was wtf that was

 

[ViperGTS]

Giannis is basically KD 2.0. Media continues to white wash him despite him being a consistently dirty, annoying, constantly trash talking player. Thinks he’s above it all. Gets every whistle. Always *****ing and beefing. Always whining about disrespect, etc. Dude will continue to get the media ball-washing treatment like KD until one day when everyone is sick of his antics.

Thats because he was coddled by the NBA because he is a foreign born player. They almost never unless they have to, prop up an American born player. The Greek Dud, Ben "Can't Shoot" Simmons, SGA, Jokic (and to me he isn't even all that, I'll take Tatum) etc etc. It's a concentrated media blitz to keep other countries interested.

 

[Real fan 02]

I had to do something so couldn’t watch after there was a couple minutes played in the third, and when I checked back in shortly thereafter the Celtics were up 25, I was like what the hell just happened

C's need series like this.. Last season was too easy during the playoff run.. it's going to be a physical, tough playoffs it will come to whatever teams the healthiest will prevail.