NBA 2023-24

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'll admit to turning away in the 2d quarter when the Celts got down 9 to watch a bit of the start of Captain America: the Winter Soldier, one of my favs. I tuned back in in the 3rd after the first Winter Soldier appearance, and saw they were down 15 midway through the 3rd,  and got into my "I'll be happy if they take one in Indy" mode and went to bed. Nice to see them have 2 close wins with some fight down the stretch this series, and have Tatum show up.

Stevens deserves a ton of credit for the maneuvers to surround Tatum and Brown with talent. It may turn out that the biggest deal to separate the Celts from the rest of the East this year was Milwaukee acquiring Lilliard for Holiday. Holiday was a huge add. As much of a Marcus Smart fan as I am, Holiday is more complementary offensively and the White / Holiday combo gives them smothering switching guards. That second deal after the Porzingis deal backfilled about as well as you could for smart. Add in signing Pritchard, and that is just a nice series of moves in the past year.

[HalfSmokes]

Almost losing to the pacers without Haliburton is not good

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Almost losing to the pacers without Haliburton is not good

yes. There's * to beating Miami without Butler and Indiana without Halliburton, but of course the Celts weren't at full strength either without Porzingis and with Holiday limited playing sick.

[Five Banners]

yes. There's * to beating Miami without Butler and Indiana without Halliburton, but of course the Celts weren't at full strength either without Porzingis and with Holiday limited playing sick.

The day they start assigning asterisks to certain Lakers teams for emerging from the West smelling like a rose facing whoever survived the East and then winning in six or seven games, let me know

[imref]

Anti-climatic semis so far.

[GataNats]

Luka just in another world.   Worried about Lively, though

[Natsinpwc]

Luka just in another world.   Worried about Lively, though

Everyone in the Celtics path has suffered a major injury.  Get ready.

[Natsinpwc]

yes. There's * to beating Miami without Butler and Indiana without Halliburton, but of course the Celts weren't at full strength either without Porzingis and with Holiday limited playing sick.

The more significant injuries were Giannis and Embiid. Donovan Mitchell got hurt also and I believe Jarrett Allen didn’t play in the series. Celtics are built to absorb their own injuries. Give Stevens credit for building a great roster.

[HalfSmokes]

The more significant injuries were Giannis and Embiid. Donovan Mitchell got hurt also and I believe Jarrett Allen didn’t play in the series. Celtics are built to absorb their own injuries. Give Stevens credit for building a great roster.

No team is built to win despite their best player going down. If Tatum misses a series, they lose, the same way the Bucks lose if Giannis is hobbled or the 76ers lose if(really when) Embid goes down

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The more significant injuries were Giannis and Embiid. Donovan Mitchell got hurt also and I believe Jarrett Allen didn’t play in the series. Celtics are built to absorb their own injuries. Give Stevens credit for building a great roster.

Giannis and Embiid impacted the season.

[imref]

Boston moving on.

[Natsinpwc]

Five-Five-Four-??  B

[JCA-CrystalCity]

yes, it was without Halliburton, but 2 road tight closeout games in a conference final might be a good sign for the Celts vs the skepticism of their ability to win tight games. The other best passing Boston big man gets an assist on this one. Walton wasn't letting them lose.

[HalfSmokes]

Anyone who believes in NBA conspiracies will expect Foster to be out there pushing this past a 4 game Mavs sweep. The Mavs are beating much better competition more handily than the Celts. I don't even think the conferences are remotely close right now.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Not really going to argue much about the conferences this year. I think a lot of that had to do with turmoil and injuries in Milwaukee and with Embiid's injuries. Otherwise, you would have had 4 nice teams with the Knicks too this year, and some depth with Miami and Indy.

Don't write off the Celtics too fast.

[HalfSmokes]

Unless Kyrie just quits, I think the Mavs in 4, but Foster extends it to at least 5

[Natsinpwc]

Not really going to argue much about the conferences this year. I think a lot of that had to do with turmoil and injuries in Milwaukee and with Embiid's injuries. Otherwise, you would have had 4 nice teams with the Knicks too this year, and some depth with Miami and Indy.

Don't write off the Celtics too fast.

Certainly not. I would rather see Dallas win but think it will be Boston. Especially if they get anything from Porzingis.  Just too much depth of talent. 

[HalfSmokes]

Certainly not. I would rather see Dallas win but think it will be Boston. Especially if they get anything from Porzingis.  Just too much depth of talent. 

I'm not sure depth matters. Luke and Kyrie are dismantling one of the best defenses in the NBA

[imref]

Gafford vs Pingus is the battle that America needs.

[HalfSmokes]

I'm looking forward to Celtics fans losing their minds when the guy who didn't like playing when he was there actually plays against them

[Five Banners]

I'm not sure depth matters. Luke and Kyrie are dismantling one of the best defenses in the NBA

Wasn’t the first game a three-point difference, the second decided by a point, and the last one close until the very end? Those two definitely were making their shots in the closing minutes of game three against an inexperienced opponent, but I don’t know that it’s shown them to the level of world beaters dismantling their opponent. That’s the same with a six game series to start against LAC without Leonard for many games, and the series against Oklahoma City that seemed quite competitive as well.

Now, if you wanna say the Celtics may have a rough equivalent of Matt Williams at the helm and don’t have players with more of a shot-creation reputation of those two, OK. However, let’s see Luka in the spotlight as he goes beyond the conference finals for the first time, and let’s see if Irving will come off better than when he got swept three times in the first round in his previous four playoffs (including by the Celtics). I think there’s a lot more that could go on as far as the potential matchup rather than this carrying an inevitable result at this point.

[HalfSmokes]

Wasn’t the first game a three-point difference, the second decided by a point, and the last one close until the very end? Those two definitely were making their shots in the closing minutes of game three against an inexperienced opponent, but I don’t know that it’s shown them to the level of world beaters dismantling their opponent. That’s the same with a six game series to start against LAC without Leonard for many games, and the series against Oklahoma City that seemed quite competitive as well.

Now, if you wanna say the Celtics may have a rough equivalent of Matt Williams at the helm and don’t have players with more of a shot-creation reputation of those two, OK. However, let’s see Luka in the spotlight as he goes beyond the conference finals for the first time, and let’s see if Irving will come off better than when he got swept three times in the first round in his previous four playoffs (including by the Celtics). I think there’s a lot more that could go on as far as the potential matchup rather than this carrying an inevitable result at this point.

The Mavs are about to sweep the series favorite who just came off of beating the team favored to win the championship

[Five Banners]

The Mavs are about to sweep the series favorite who just came off of beating the team favored to win the championship

By a margin of four points total at home, and a late run to close out game three. They’re looking really good; I just don’t see an air of inevitability as far as what that will translate into in the finals, even as the Celtics might be carrying aspects hinting at Buffalo Bills-type potential

[HalfSmokes]

By a margin of four points total at home, and a late run to close out game three. They’re looking really good; I just don’t see an air of inevitability as far as what that will translate into in the finals, even as the Celtics might be carrying aspects hinting at Buffalo Bills-type potential

It’s at the point where I assume they’ll win if they’re within 20 at the half

[Natsinpwc]

I'm not sure depth matters. Luke and Kyrie are dismantling one of the best defenses in the NBA

I mean outside of their top two guys. Holliday is really good and especially at defense. White also. Horford can still play. Even if one of their top guys is off they can still score.