Celtics are legit contenders

[chrisab123]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

Let me ask you a serious question. Nuggets have been without Murray for a while and pretty much without MPJ all season, Zion hasn't played all season and neither has Ben Simmons. Should the league vacate all wins against Denver, Philly, and New Orleans? According to your logic those aren't "real wins". How many people beat the Celtics without Smart or Williams or Brown when they missed time? The take doesn't make you a troll or a hater. Its just a trash take because you aren't taking into account how many games the Celtics lost when they weren't healthy and you're reaching with many of these examples. Some are valid but most are not.

[steefP2]

I’ll just drop this here

Watch on YouTube

[Feed Your Head]

I’ll just drop this here

Watch on YouTube

As you know, I’ve been hesitant to fully buy in.

I’m really close to that point, the video is basketball porn.

[Triple M]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

Irrespective of their opponents, they've been impressive. They've been swarming on defense and moving the ball on offense. If you had questions about it continuing, doesn't beating Atl and Mem with no Jaylen answer it?

It's been over 30 games now, so it isn't really a small sample size anymore.

Projecting forward, I want to know if you think the Celtics get to 50 wins because the schedule is going to be tough. 10 of the 16 games are over .500, with 6 of the 10 on the road. If the Celtics get to 50 wins, I don't see how we can write off more than half the season.

[bisme37]

I’ll just drop this here

Watch on YouTube

Wow that's really an excellent video, thanks. Not just for Celtics fans but for anyone curious about how they've been so good the last few months. And even if you don't care about the C's it breaks stuff down in a way that really expands your bball knowledge.

[ITYSL]

I’ll just drop this here

Watch on YouTube

That's a great video. A 7-game series vs. TOR or MIA would be fascinating to see how Nurse or Spo would adjust

[Triple M]

I’ll just drop this here

Watch on YouTube

As you know, I’ve been hesitant to fully buy in.

I’m really close to that point, the video is basketball porn.

Weaponizing the switching defence is interesting point. On top of that it seems like the Celtics are dictating to the offense and taking advantage of non shooters

[ajones9219]

Read on Twitter

This goes in here

[BostonCouchGM]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

Let me ask you a serious question. Nuggets have been without Murray for a while and pretty much without MPJ all season, Zion hasn't played all season and neither has Ben Simmons. Should the league vacate all wins against Denver, Philly, and New Orleans? According to your logic those aren't "real wins". How many people beat the Celtics without Smart or Williams or Brown when they missed time? The take doesn't make you a troll or a hater. Its just a trash take because you aren't taking into account how many games the Celtics lost when they weren't healthy and you're reaching with many of these examples. Some are valid but most are not.

If we didn’t have 2 of our 3 best players many fans would (and have when it’s happened) invalidated losses. Heck, when Jaylen is just banged up but plays losses get hand-waved away. No, teams shouldn’t feel bad about beating teams down starters but they shouldn’t be going around bragging about defensive ratings and counting stats either.

[BostonCouchGM]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

Irrespective of their opponents, they've been impressive. They've been swarming on defense and moving the ball on offense. If you had questions about it continuing, doesn't beating Atl and Mem with no Jaylen answer it?

It's been over 30 games now, so it isn't really a small sample size anymore.

Projecting forward, I want to know if you think the Celtics get to 50 wins because the schedule is going to be tough. 10 of the 16 games are over .500, with 6 of the 10 on the road. If the Celtics get to 50 wins, I don't see how we can write off more than half the season.[/

I'll call you a troll for including other teams' players who are out for the season, and for not mentioning who was out for the Celtics.

I dont think the C’s are world-beaters but you need to be a special kind of animal to include players like those I’m highlighting as ‘missing’ or key what has lucky done to you really??

Right!!!!!

I mean, Simmons is only a DPOY candidate and their 2nd best player! And Curry provides much needed spacing and bench scoring. Not important at all! And Brooks is their main scorer outside of Ja, who needs him? And Collins is so bad nobody on our board wanted to trade for him…oh wait, he’s one of the better stretch 4s in the league. Great post!!!

[BostonCouchGM]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

Irrespective of their opponents, they've been impressive. They've been swarming on defense and moving the ball on offense. If you had questions about it continuing, doesn't beating Atl and Mem with no Jaylen answer it?

It's been over 30 games now, so it isn't really a small sample size anymore.

Projecting forward, I want to know if you think the Celtics get to 50 wins because the schedule is going to be tough. 10 of the 16 games are over .500, with 6 of the 10 on the road. If the Celtics get to 50 wins, I don't see how we can write off more than half the season.

I think we might lose only 4-5 games the rest of the way. Same luck going forward with guys sitting, injured or tanking teams. We ARE a good team after all and even fully healthy teams would have trouble beating us in the regular season. My worry is that when we finally DO get to the playoffs, it’ll be a rude awakening and all the major minutes and Ime’s short rotations will catch up to us.

And if we DO happen to lose a key piece to injury I really do t want to read people making excuses since it apparently doesn’t matter

[Celts17Pride]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

Irrespective of their opponents, they've been impressive. They've been swarming on defense and moving the ball on offense. If you had questions about it continuing, doesn't beating Atl and Mem with no Jaylen answer it?

It's been over 30 games now, so it isn't really a small sample size anymore.

Projecting forward, I want to know if you think the Celtics get to 50 wins because the schedule is going to be tough. 10 of the 16 games are over .500, with 6 of the 10 on the road. If the Celtics get to 50 wins, I don't see how we can write off more than half the season.

I think we might lose only 4-5 games the rest of the way. Same luck going forward with guys sitting, injured or tanking teams. We ARE a good team after all and even fully healthy teams would have trouble beating us in the regular season. My worry is that when we finally DO get to the playoffs, it’ll be a rude awakening and all the major minutes and Ime’s short rotations will catch up to us.

And if we DO happen to lose a key piece to injury I really do t want to read people making excuses since it apparently doesn’t matter

Look, the Celtics have as good a chance to get to the NBA Finals as any other team in the East because of the way they are playing and the elite defense that the Celtics bring every night. The Celtics have two guys (Tatum and Brown) that can get 25+ points on any night against any team. The Celtics are capable.

The Celtics achilles heel is that their Top 7 is very strong but they are very thin the deeper you have to go into their bench. Any injury to the Celtics Top 7 really puts them in a bind. The Celtics are really 1 year away. That doesn't mean they can't go to the NBA Finals this year, they just shouldn't be considered any favorite.

Add another consistent 15-20 ppg scorer to Tatum, Brown and the Celtics elite defense and the rest of the league will be in trouble.

[TA42]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

I mean it goes both ways.

10/20 @Knicks - no Horford
10/30 @Washington - no Smart, No R.Williams
11/6 @Dallas - no Brown
11/13 @Cleveland - no Brown, no Horford
11/17 @Atlanta - no Brown, no R.Williams
11/24 Brooklyn - no R.Williams
11/26 @Spurs - no R.Williams
12/3 @Utah - no Brown
12/7 @Lakers - no Brown
12/8 @Clippers - no Brown
12/10 @Phoenix - no Brown
12/17 @Warriors - no Horford
12/20 Philly - no Horford, no R.Williams
12/25 @Bucks - no Horford
12/27 @Minnesota - no Smart, no Tatum
12/29 Clippers - no Smart, no Tatum
1/14 @Philly - no Smart
1/19 Charlotte - no Smart, no R.Williams
1/21 Portland - no Smart
2/16 Detroit - no Smart, no R.Williams
2/27 @Indy - no Horford

That's 22 losses where we were missing at least one of our starters. Should those losses not count since we weren't at full strength? Injuries are a part of the game and I guarantee you if you look at every other teams wins there is a good chance the losing team was missing a player or two.

It's also why everyone crowned the Nets at the beginning of the year because on paper they have the most talent. They could still win it all but at the end of the day injuries is the great equalizer.

[chrisab123]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

Irrespective of their opponents, they've been impressive. They've been swarming on defense and moving the ball on offense. If you had questions about it continuing, doesn't beating Atl and Mem with no Jaylen answer it?

It's been over 30 games now, so it isn't really a small sample size anymore.

Projecting forward, I want to know if you think the Celtics get to 50 wins because the schedule is going to be tough. 10 of the 16 games are over .500, with 6 of the 10 on the road. If the Celtics get to 50 wins, I don't see how we can write off more than half the season.[/

I dont think the C’s are world-beaters but you need to be a special kind of animal to include players like those I’m highlighting as ‘missing’ or key what has lucky done to you really??

Right!!!!!

I mean, Simmons is only a DPOY candidate and their 2nd best player! And Curry provides much needed spacing and bench scoring. Not important at all! And Brooks is their main scorer outside of Ja, who needs him? And Collins is so bad nobody on our board wanted to trade for him…oh wait, he’s one of the better stretch 4s in the league. Great post!!!

So you agree that everyone that beat Philly this year should have those wins taken away? Cool. I mean we can't have it only affect Boston can we? Need to be fair about these things. New Orleans too. I'm not even agreeing that Boston are legit contenders but that is a very ridiculous take about this team.

Did someone in the Celtics organization over the last decade wrong you in some way? You're either a fan of another team or you're Dan Shaughnessy

[chrisab123]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

I mean it goes both ways.

10/20 @Knicks - no Horford
10/30 @Washington - no Smart, No R.Williams
11/6 @Dallas - no Brown
11/13 @Cleveland - no Brown, no Horford
11/17 @Atlanta - no Brown, no R.Williams
11/24 Brooklyn - no R.Williams
11/26 @Spurs - no R.Williams
12/3 @Utah - no Brown
12/7 @Lakers - no Brown
12/8 @Clippers - no Brown
12/10 @Phoenix - no Brown
12/17 @Warriors - no Horford
12/20 Philly - no Horford, no R.Williams
12/25 @Bucks - no Horford
12/27 @Minnesota - no Smart, no Tatum
12/29 Clippers - no Smart, no Tatum
1/14 @Philly - no Smart
1/19 Charlotte - no Smart, no R.Williams
1/21 Portland - no Smart
2/16 Detroit - no Smart, no R.Williams
2/27 @Indy - no Horford

That's 22 losses where we were missing at least one of our starters. Should those losses not count since we weren't at full strength? Injuries are a part of the game and I guarantee you if you look at every other teams wins there is a good chance the losing team was missing a player or two.

It's also why everyone crowned the Nets at the beginning of the year because on paper they have the most talent. They could still win it all but at the end of the day injuries is the great equalizer.

Its different though. If the Celtics lose they lost to a better team. If the Celtics win its because the other team isn't at full strength.

[canada_dry]

To me the celtics are moreso the team that can play spoiler. Send a team from the top 4 home and spoil their hopes and dreams in the first round, to probably peak in a competitive 2nd round series.

They could also lose a competitive 1st round series too. Noone in the top 4 is gonna wanna see them.

True contenders tho? That ship might have sailed just due to seeding. Their first round matchup is gonna be insanely tough either way.

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

[Curmudgeon]

T

True contenders tho? That ship might have sailed just due to seeding. Their first round matchup is gonna be insanely tough either way.

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

Their second round matchup is going to be even tougher. LOL, in the EC, Miami, or either Milwaukee or Philadelphia, will probably have to face full-strength Brooklyn in the first round. There really are no easy series.

[ajones9219]

I know this makes me a "hater" or "troll" and I'm alone in this, but our recent two month hot streak has come against either bad/tanking teams or good teams missing key starter(s), usually at home, while we've mostly been healthy.

Let's look at some of these wins:

*denotes bad/tanking teams
@ denotes home games

12/31 Suns-No Ayton, Crowder @
1/2 Orlando-No Isaac, Suggs, Fultz, Anthony, Okeke * @
1/8 Knicks-No Rose, Walker, Fournier * @
1/10 Pacers-No Brogdon, Levert, Jackson * @
1/12 Pacers*
1/15 Bulls-No Ball, Williams, Caruso @
1/17 Pelicans-No Zion, Hayes @
1/23 Wizards
1/25 Kings-No Fox * @
1/29 Pelicans-No Ingram, Zion, Valuncianus, Hayes
1/31 Heat-No Butler, Lowry, Tucker @
2/2 Hornets-No Hayward, McDaniels @
2/4 Pistons-No Cunningham, Jackson *
2/6 Magic-No Isaac, Fultz, Hampton*
2/8 Nets-No Durant, Harden, Kyrie
2/11 Nuggets-No Murray, MPJ, Morris @
2/13 Hawks-No Collins @
2/15 Sixers-No Simmons, Curry
2/24 Nets-No Harden, Durant, Kyrie
2/26 Pistons *
3/1 Hawks-No Collins @
3/3 Grizzlies-No Brooks @
3/6 Nets-No Simmons @

take off your homer glasses and tell me which one of these wins is supposed to be impressive? And since you can't find any, though I'm sure you'll do your best to spin a few as such, then how impressive really have we been? Aren't the stats skewed? I mean, you're goign to have better looking stats individually and as a team when you're beating up easy competition right?

Let me ask you a serious question. Nuggets have been without Murray for a while and pretty much without MPJ all season, Zion hasn't played all season and neither has Ben Simmons. Should the league vacate all wins against Denver, Philly, and New Orleans? According to your logic those aren't "real wins". How many people beat the Celtics without Smart or Williams or Brown when they missed time? The take doesn't make you a troll or a hater. Its just a trash take because you aren't taking into account how many games the Celtics lost when they weren't healthy and you're reaching with many of these examples. Some are valid but most are not.

If we didn’t have 2 of our 3 best players many fans would (and have when it’s happened) invalidated losses. Heck, when Jaylen is just banged up but plays losses get hand-waved away. No, teams shouldn’t feel bad about beating teams down starters but they shouldn’t be going around bragging about defensive ratings and counting stats either.

They are currently the #1 defense for the entire season. But I guess we can't invalidate the whole season right?

[Oscar9992]

Funny thing I am Mavs fan but since a long time I don't have teams that I am afraid of meeting against in Playoffs.

That team used to be a healthy Clippers with Kawhi, PG & stacked roster with the deep bench & role players. Clippers are no longer the same, Kawhi won't comeback. And now only team I am afraid of are Suns. Rest of the teams are OK.

[Asian Celtic]

No need to reply to the closet hater lol.