Playoffs!?

Jailblazers7 · Post #901 » by **Jailblazers7** » Mon May 22, 2023 2:30 am

Heat vs Nuggets is gonna be awesome. I’m intrigued by the stylistic differences between the Nuggets free flowing offense around Jokic & the Heat grinding style with Jimmy. Jokic is an interesting puzzle for Spo to solve & Bam is an interesting defensive matchup. Both teams have really capable role players that will be trading punches all series.

I think it has the potential to be a truly great Finals.

Negrodamus · Post #902 » by **Negrodamus** » Mon May 22, 2023 2:32 am

I actually think we would have had an interesting series against the Heat because they wouldn’t have had the defensive flexibility to deal with Embiid like the Celtics did. I know it’s en vogue to rip Embiid now, but he usually cooks the **** out of Bam and I don’t think we would have had to be as reliant on our role players hitting threes. We also wouldn’t have been as trash on effort plays like years past (which was the main reason the Heat beat us last time we saw them in the playoffs).

It is enjoyable to watch the Celtics get cooked though.

mjkvol · Post #903 » by **mjkvol** » Mon May 22, 2023 2:37 am

Negrodamus wrote:I actually think we would have had an interesting series against the Heat because they wouldn’t have had the defensive flexibility to deal with Embiid like the Celtics did. I know it’s en vogue to rip Embiid now, but he usually cooks the **** out of Bam and I don’t think we would have had to be as reliant on our role players hitting threes. We also wouldn’t have been as trash on effort plays like years past (which was the main reason the Heat beat us last time we saw them in the playoffs).

It is enjoyable to watch the Celtics get cooked though.

I actually agree. Especially if we had closed it out in six, we would have gone in on a high and I think it would have been a good, long series.

Jailblazers7 · Post #904 » by **Jailblazers7** » Mon May 22, 2023 2:40 am

I feel like Jimmy Butler would also drop the friends act with Embiid if he actually felt threatened in that series which would’ve been fascinating to watch.

NYSixersFan · Post #905 » by **NYSixersFan** » Mon May 22, 2023 2:47 am

The Celtics were always frauds. Unfortunately, so were we.

ExplosionsInDaSky · Post #906 » by **ExplosionsInDaSky** » Mon May 22, 2023 2:54 am

Boston fans be like "We just got beat by 30, but we're only down 0-3..I like our chances"
Hey this is great! Miami just flat out WHOOPING BOSTON! I love it man! 8th seed rolling through those fools!

Negrodamus · Post #907 » by **Negrodamus** » Mon May 22, 2023 2:57 am

Gotta trade Tatum if they get swept right? Fraud star. Time to blow it up and tank!

Embiid P · Post #908 » by **Embiid P** » Mon May 22, 2023 2:57 am

The Heat actually remind me a lot of the Phillies postseason run last season. Lowest seed, nobody (including myself) gave them a chance, but they're on their way to the Finals. They have the grit to go all the way though I'm not sure even they can stop the Jokic and Jamal juggernaut.

Iverson Armband · Post #909 » by **Iverson Armband** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:02 am

Tatum has been deep in the playoffs every year since he’s been in the league and is a year removed from a finals run. He’s allowed a series like this.

76ciology · Post #910 » by **76ciology** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:03 am

Sounds similar

Read on Twitter

Embiid P · Post #911 » by **Embiid P** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:07 am

Iverson Armband wrote:Tatum has been deep in the playoffs every year since he’s been in the league and is a year removed from a finals run. He’s allowed a series like this.

Except he also had a bad series vs. the Sixers until the 4th quarter of game 6. Which goes to show how much we choked it away despite him playing like **** for most of the series.

eyeatoma · Post #912 » by **eyeatoma** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:07 am

We couldn't beat this team, then we were never going to win a Chip even if we didn't face them. Also the Heat would have eaten us alive.

Embiid P · Post #913 » by **Embiid P** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:10 am

Too bad we don't have the assets (except Maxey who I'd absolutely hate to see playing for our archrivals) to take advantage of a potential Celtics rebuild.

Negrodamus · Post #914 » by **Negrodamus** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:10 am

Iverson Armband wrote:Tatum has been deep in the playoffs every year since he’s been in the league and is a year removed from a finals run. He’s allowed a series like this.

Ironically, he’s having a very Harden stretch since the beginning of our series. A couple of big moments (albeit at more critical points) but mostly duds.

76ciology · Post #915 » by **76ciology** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:13 am

imagine wanting to face the Heat than the Hawks.

I read it here

Iverson Armband · Post #916 » by **Iverson Armband** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:14 am

Embiid P wrote:
Iverson Armband wrote:Tatum has been deep in the playoffs every year since he’s been in the league and is a year removed from a finals run. He’s allowed a series like this.

Except he also had a bad series vs. the Sixers until the 4th quarter of game 6. Which goes to show how much we choked it away despite him playing like **** for most of the series.

He had a bad series until he didn’t. He stepped up when he needed to that’s all that matters. And he did it last year too to bring his team to the Finals.

Iverson Armband · Post #917 » by **Iverson Armband** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:16 am

Negrodamus wrote:
Iverson Armband wrote:Tatum has been deep in the playoffs every year since he’s been in the league and is a year removed from a finals run. He’s allowed a series like this.

Ironically, he’s having a very Harden stretch since the beginning of our series. A couple of big moments (albeit at more critical points) but mostly duds.

I think this matters. Also, his “bad games” he’s still giving you 20-30 points. James is giving you 9.

Embiid P · Post #918 » by **Embiid P** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:18 am

The Heat also have shown how little the regular season really matters as long as you're healthy for the playoffs. Hence why it's unwise to overplay your stars during the regular season just to get a better seed.

Negrodamus · Post #919 » by **Negrodamus** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:47 am

Iverson Armband wrote:
Negrodamus wrote:
Iverson Armband wrote:Tatum has been deep in the playoffs every year since he’s been in the league and is a year removed from a finals run. He’s allowed a series like this.

Ironically, he’s having a very Harden stretch since the beginning of our series. A couple of big moments (albeit at more critical points) but mostly duds.

I think this matters. Also, his “bad games” he’s still giving you 20-30 points. James is giving you 9.

But you could also argue that his supporting cast did enough to get him to game 7. It was definitely more of a Sixers issue than him beating us; we just remember game 7 because he went nuts:

Played well in game 1 in a loss

He was 1-7, 4 fouls, 7 points in 19 minutes in a game 2 where we got slaughtered

Very good in game 3 even through a bad 3pt shooting night; Celtics win.

24 points, 1-6 (16%) from three, pretty inefficient game where they lost.

36 points, 3-11 (27%) from three, 40% overall, another inefficient game where he got his points at the line... in a loss.

19 points, 5-21 (23%) FG overall in game 6. His worst performance where he gets hot late and is deemed the hero.

His stats from game 2 to 6 were: 22pts on 37% FG (26% 3FG) 10 rebs, 5 asts.

He needs to buy Brogdon, Smart, and Brown some presents this offseason because he would be skewered on all the talking shows en route to an easy sweep if the supporting cast wasn't scorching hot (and if literally anyone at all showed up on offense other than Maxey, Embiid, and Harden).

Negrodamus · Post #920 » by **Negrodamus** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:52 am

Tatum is 5-20 (25%) from 3 in this Heat series. I don't know if he's tired or what, but that's crazy to me on the heels of his horrible three shooting against us. I haven't paid as much attention, but I imagine they are implementing similar defense that we did (force Tatum to drive or take incredibly contested 3pter) and they are just able to hit shots and rotate well on defense.