The Boston Celtics/NBA Playoffs thread

[Kontradiction]

I hate to say it, but I think Cleveland is going to win the championship this year. I think the Heat or Raptors can *MAYBE* take two games from them at most, but they're by far playing their best basketball right now. They are absolutely impossible to defend when they're knocking down their 3's and they've done that at a record pace lately. This isn't a team you can simply crowd the paint on and get away with it. They'll bury 3's all day.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I hate to say it, but I think Cleveland is going to win the championship this year. I think the Heat or Raptors can *MAYBE* take two games from them at most, but they're by far playing their best basketball right now. They are absolutely impossible to defend when they're knocking down their 3's and they've done that at a record pace lately. This isn't a team you can simply crowd the paint on and get away with it. They'll bury 3's all day.

Right - so you extend to address the 3s and they kill you underneath

When you can execute, there's really nothing to stop them in that mode

I do think that the Warriors style of play will make it tough on Cleveland, and I think the Warriors will take it, but if ever there was a year for Cleveland, this is it

 

[rochrist]

Right - so you extend to address the 3s and they kill you underneath

When you can execute, there's really nothing to stop them in that mode

I do think that the Warriors style of play will make it tough on Cleveland, and I think the Warriors will take it, but if ever there was a year for Cleveland, this is it

There's no way Cleveland continues to hit threes at the rate they're going now.

 

[Kontradiction]

There's no way Cleveland continues to hit threes at the rate they're going now.

Maybe not at a record pace but they're certainly capable of doing it at a pace that can bring them a title. They're littered with knock down 3 point shooters.

 

[rochrist]

Maybe not at a record pace but they're certainly capable of doing it at a pace that can bring them a title. They're littered with knock down 3 point shooters.

I think Curry served notice last night. I don't see Cleveland beating them.

 

[Kontradiction]

I think Curry served notice last night. I don't see Cleveland beating them.

The Warriors, with the same team, had trouble putting away Cleveland last year sans Irving and Love. Cleveland has both this season and Love is playing at an incredibly high level and, unfortunately, looks to have found his niche on that team.

 

[rochrist]

The Warriors, with the same team, had trouble putting away Cleveland last year sans Irving and Love. Cleveland has both this season and Love is playing at an incredibly high level and, unfortunately, looks to have found his niche on that team.

We'll see. I think GS is playing on a completely different level this year, and I don't think Cleveland can keep up this rain of 3's. I just don't see it.
And Love is softer than yougurt.

Edited to add: There's a reason GS won 16 more regular season games than Cleveland. In a far tougher conference.

 

[Kontradiction]

We'll see. I think GS is playing on a completely different level this year, and I don't think Cleveland can keep up this rain of 3's. I just don't see it.
And Love is softer than yougurt.

Edited to add: There's a reason GS won 16 more regular season games than Cleveland. In a far tougher conference.

Hope you're right. I hate the Cavs. But I can't see it. Cleveland is playing their best basketball of the year by far and away and they have more overall talent than the Warriors do. Further, they aren't as one dimensional as the Warriors. With Golden State, if you can be athletic enough close out on their shooters force them into contested threes, you have a chance. Cleveland can kill you either by burying the three or by LeBron or Irving getting into the paint and slashing.

 

[rochrist]

Hope you're right. I hate the Cavs. But I can't see it. Cleveland is playing their best basketball of the year by far and away and they have more overall talent than the Warriors do. Further, they aren't as one dimensional as the Warriors. With Golden State, if you can be athletic enough close out on their shooters force them into contested threes, you have a chance. Cleveland can kill you either by burying the three or by LeBron or Irving getting into the paint and slashing.

I just looked (because you're spurred my interest). Irving is hitting 3s at a rate 22 percent better than he did during the regular season (32% vs. 54% in postseason). That really strikes me as an unsustainable hot streak. He'll cool off.

 

[Kontradiction]

I just looked (because you're spurred my interest). Irving is hitting 3s at a rate 22 percent better than he did during the regular season (32% vs. 54% in postseason). That really strikes me as an unsustainable hot streak. He'll cool off.

Even if he does, he's still capable. So are Love and J.R. Smith. Like I said, they don't have to be hitting 3's at a record rate... just at a good enough rate so that defenses can't collapse the paint on them.

 

[rochrist]

Even if he does, he's still capable. So are Love and J.R. Smith. Like I said, they don't have to be hitting 3's at a record rate... just at a good enough rate so that defenses can't collapse the paint on them.

Sure, but GS can play that game too. Is there anybody better in basketball at playing that game right now than Curry?

 

[Kontradiction]

Sure, but GS can play that game too. Is there anybody better in basketball at playing that game right now than Curry?

No. There isn't. But they also don't have anybody that can penetrate and score in the paint like the Cavs have. The Cavs can either kill you there or kill you from beyond the arc. Teams that can do both well and can play defense typically tend to win the title. But we'll see. I would love to come back in here after the Finals are over and eat crow.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I think the bottom line is that these two teams look to be pretty evenly matched and it will likely come down to a few key plays.

If that happens, neither of you are really wrong, and we get a great series

For my part I can't help but look at PPG of both teams in the regular season and in the playoffs. Sure enough, the Cavs are playing about 3 points more than in the regular season at 108 ppg, while the Warriors have seen their regular season PPG total drop - all the way down to 113 -

Looking at D, the Cavs 98 points per game allowed in the regular season is great - but I think you also need to factor in a much weaker Eastern division into that

The Cavs had a respectable 6pt differential and now have likely improved on that in the playoffs, playing at a higher level to be sure

But if the Warriors can channel what allowed them to get to a 11pt differential in the regular season then I don't see the Cavs getting it this year

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm actually kind of glad I don't have to watch an injured Heat team limp into Cleveland to get smoked in 4 by the Cavs. Hopefully Wade got out of Toronto alive after taking warm up shots during the Canadian national anthem.

 

[Kontradiction]

Like I said, I don't think this is Golden State's year to repeat. The Thunder only have Durant and Westbrook. Cleveland has LeBron, Irving, and Love and, arguably, the better bench to boot.

 

[rochrist]

Less than three hours til the ping pong balls drop.

 

[captain insano]

Less than three hours til the ping pong balls drop.

fingers crossed. the celtics are due for some good luck in the lotto for a change.

 

[IcyPatriot]

The worse part of this announcement is that the selections were made this afternoon.

We are either already screwed or already lucky ... I'll be happy if we just stay in the top 3 as Bender is a legit pick also ... after that just some really good potential type picks.
I am really hoping ainge finds some way to also land Poetl come draft day.
Ainge can easily end up with 2 top 10 picks using future capital.
I really don't want a trade ... use the top pick and then find a way to get Poetl or Labissiere.

 

[captain stone]

In a half-hour, either Lady Luck will finally spread her legs for us, and for a change, or it will be Ping Pong Balls Across the Nose, again.

 

[IcyPatriot]

How f'ucking pathetic ... I am watching ESPN waiting for the results ...