Finally, this is the year for Celtics

[Exp0sed]

I'm not crowning them champions until they actually win it.

they're def not champions yet but it's hard to deny they have all the tools and that their road to that ring got alot easier in the past couple of weeks

[svart]

Pitty OP isn't a Boston fan, this thread would have been an extraordinary jinx.

[durden_tyler]

Butler getting hurt is a god send. It felt like the Heat would be a tough 1st round opponent for the Celtics.

Eh, even with Butler that series would be a sweep.

I'm sure people said that last playoffs too.

Yes, what the Heat did last year was special, and rare. Lightning won’t strike twice and Boston has learned their lesson.

East will be a cakewalk, the question is who they will face in the Finals.


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[KembaWalker]

Getting to the finals in the East is probably less impressive than winning the first round in the west. Crazy that it’s like that every year

[tsherkin]

Getting to the finals in the East is probably less impressive than winning the first round in the west. Crazy that it’s like that every year

It has been a significant trend over the past quarter century. Kinda the way the reverse was true in the 80s.

[TinmanZBoy]

They’ve been close since Tatum’s rookie season… it is their due now…otherwise, they’d be the unluckiest team in this era

[The-Stallion70]

It really is theirs to lose this year.

When Tatum got hurt in the game 7 against against Miami last year and couldn't handle the offensive load any more and the C's found out that Jaylen Brown couldn't carry them in Tatum's absence, they went out and addressed the need for a guy who can create shots in the halfcourt and got KP while also addressing the need for interior defense.

I still can't believe they went and replaced Smart with Jrue Holiday, a guy who's almost as good as a defender and is a better overall player anyway.

"Oh we lost the heart of the team"

Yea but you replaced him with another all star so..

Jrue is a much better defender.

It's so weird and great having had both players. I'll say this, Smart's peak defense was greater, but that was a couple of years ago. Jrue's defense is fantastic but what I prefer about him over Smart is that he is more consistent and on both sides of the floor. Smart would have a game or two with great highlight defensive plays then sorta back off a bit....same with his offense...more off days with his offense lol.

I think we'd have a similar record this year with Smart if he was healthy but I still prefer Jrue for the consistency.

I thought about this the other day, there hasn't been a game this year where I thought "If Smart were still on this team...". Not a knock on Smart or anything just kinda crazy how well Jrue filled his spot so well.

Smart won DPOTY and defended Embiid in the playoffs.

Jrue is a great defender but Smart is truly elite, this is not really debateable.

[bledredwine]

This is the (second) year for the Celtics to make it to the Finals and then get crushed.

That's how the East operates.

[EmpireFalls]

This is the (second) year for the Celtics to make it to the Finals and then get crushed.

That's how the East operates.

I can’t think of a single scenario where the Celtics get crushed. In any loss they would at least win 2 games, imo.

[celtxman]

The Celtics will have to learn to win close games on the fly in the playoffs. The combination of losing some notable close games and also not having many in total makes this their biggest challenge.

[SweaterBae]

Steph Curry also had an All time great level finals series in 2022. His shooting was like 43.4% from three on 10 attempts per game and that 43.4% INCLUDES a game where he went 0 from 9 from three lol.

Crazy

it's not that crazy
it was an incredible finals performance by Curry, legendary even..but the league average is around 35% and was probably around 34% back then. that includes all the stretch 4's and 5's trying to extend their range, not just high volume shooters or high volume shooting Guards. if you let a random starting NBA guard the green light to jack up 10 3's, ur gonna end up with something around 40% (slightly below) anyway

Steph is currently the only player in the league averaging at least 40% from 3 on 10 attempts. Of the top 20 3 point shooters by % this year, only two of them average more than 6.1 attemtps per game. Taking 10 a game in the finals at 43% while having a game in which he went 0-9 is crazy good.

[bledredwine]

This is the (second) year for the Celtics to make it to the Finals and then get crushed.

That's how the East operates.

I can’t think of a single scenario where the Celtics get crushed. In any loss they would at least win 2 games, imo.

I give them two games, no more.

I actually predict a 4-2 finals loss if it’s Denver. 4-1 is possible. I hope that I’m wrong because I want real contenders in the league.

[ReddoverKobe]

Jrue is a much better defender.

It's so weird and great having had both players. I'll say this, Smart's peak defense was greater, but that was a couple of years ago. Jrue's defense is fantastic but what I prefer about him over Smart is that he is more consistent and on both sides of the floor. Smart would have a game or two with great highlight defensive plays then sorta back off a bit....same with his offense...more off days with his offense lol.

I think we'd have a similar record this year with Smart if he was healthy but I still prefer Jrue for the consistency.

I thought about this the other day, there hasn't been a game this year where I thought "If Smart were still on this team...". Not a knock on Smart or anything just kinda crazy how well Jrue filled his spot so well.

Smart won DPOTY and defended Embiid in the playoffs.

Jrue is a great defender but Smart is truly elite, this is not really debateable.

[jkvonny]

Getting to the finals in the East is probably less impressive than winning the first round in the west. Crazy that it’s like that every year

It has been a significant trend over the past quarter century. Kinda the way the reverse was true in the 80s.

Yup. '80s and '90s.

[tsherkin]

Getting to the finals in the East is probably less impressive than winning the first round in the west. Crazy that it’s like that every year

It has been a significant trend over the past quarter century. Kinda the way the reverse was true in the 80s.

Yup. '80s and '90s.

Well, not so much the 90s. The Pacers (depending on which specific year), Knicks and Heat were all tough outs and the Cavs weren't exactly pushovers either. By the late 90s, the Hornets and the Hawks had grown into 50+-win teams as well. In the early/mid 90s, Shaq was on the Magic. And Detroit was pretty good through 92, then again in 96 and 97.

[jkvonny]

It has been a significant trend over the past quarter century. Kinda the way the reverse was true in the 80s.

Yup. '80s and '90s.

Well, not so much the 90s. The Pacers (depending on which specific year), Knicks and Heat were all tough outs and the Cavs weren't exactly pushovers either. By the late 90s, the Hornets and the Hawks had grown into 50+-win teams as well. In the early/mid 90s, Shaq was on the Magic. And Detroit was pretty good through 92, then again in 96 and 97.

Yes, that's what I meant. The East was pretty strong during the '80s and '90s.

[tsherkin]

Yup. '80s and '90s.

Well, not so much the 90s. The Pacers (depending on which specific year), Knicks and Heat were all tough outs and the Cavs weren't exactly pushovers either. By the late 90s, the Hornets and the Hawks had grown into 50+-win teams as well. In the early/mid 90s, Shaq was on the Magic. And Detroit was pretty good through 92, then again in 96 and 97.

Yes, that's what I meant. The East was pretty strong during the '80s and '90s.

Oh, derp. I definitely misread that, haha!

[jkvonny]

Well, not so much the 90s. The Pacers (depending on which specific year), Knicks and Heat were all tough outs and the Cavs weren't exactly pushovers either. By the late 90s, the Hornets and the Hawks had grown into 50+-win teams as well. In the early/mid 90s, Shaq was on the Magic. And Detroit was pretty good through 92, then again in 96 and 97.

Yes, that's what I meant. The East was pretty strong during the '80s and '90s.

Oh, derp. I definitely misread that, haha!

All good!

[Zeno]

Pitty OP isn't a Boston fan, this thread would have been an extraordinary jinx.

Boston fan or not the intention of this thread is clear.

[The-Stallion70]

It's so weird and great having had both players. I'll say this, Smart's peak defense was greater, but that was a couple of years ago. Jrue's defense is fantastic but what I prefer about him over Smart is that he is more consistent and on both sides of the floor. Smart would have a game or two with great highlight defensive plays then sorta back off a bit....same with his offense...more off days with his offense lol.

I think we'd have a similar record this year with Smart if he was healthy but I still prefer Jrue for the consistency.

I thought about this the other day, there hasn't been a game this year where I thought "If Smart were still on this team...". Not a knock on Smart or anything just kinda crazy how well Jrue filled his spot so well.

Smart won DPOTY and defended Embiid in the playoffs.

Jrue is a great defender but Smart is truly elite, this is not really debateable.