ECSF: P2 | (2) Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers (3) | BOS 3-0

[trickshot]

This is the game that will have Simmons in the parking lot recruiting Lebron

[Bleedsgreen]

In the playoffs, Marcus Morris and Semi have combined for 45 MPG. Those are the minutes that will go to Hayward.

In the playoffs, Smart and Larkin have combined for around 47 MPG. Those are the minutes that go back to Irving. Especially Larkin's 15 MPG.

If you don't think Irving and Hayward will improve the team over the likes of Marcus Morris, Shane Larkin, and Semi, I don't know what to tell you haha

I agree with you on Hayward, but don't agree with Irving.
Smart provides too much on defense and the ability to defend 1-4 . Where Rozier and Irving would be giving up a bit much on defense and allow too many mismatches on the defensive end. And not sold on if Rozier and Irving would be a plus on offense. Now Larkin losing his mins I give you but that not enough for Irving and Rozier.

[jason bourne]

The Celtics are a better team with Rozier in and Kyrie our. Fact! I believe if Kyrie and Hayward were healthy this season they wouldn’t have been a better team. Would have restricted the emergence of better and more talented players on the Celtics roster.

I agree.

I would truly rather have Jayson Tatum than Gordon Hayward. I posted in the Boston forum many months back I thought Tatum was already better.

Certain guys move off the ball and play defense at a high level. They score points with low usage and they're great team players.

I do not think Boston's going to be better when Kyrie and Hayward come back. There's only one basketball and the better defenders are in there right now.

Huh? The Celtics will have both Tatum and Hayward on the court, SF and SG.

[RakimAbdulJabar]

What a game, even as a fan of neither team (but supporting the Celtics in the East for the playoffs) I was nervous watching the end of that one.

First off I'll say the refs let so much go this game, I'm glad they let it go for both teams but in all honesty I thought the Sixers got away with a lot more down the stretch, I don't know how the hell McConnell didn't get called for a single foul. How Tatum only got 4 free throw attempts is insane, he was hit on quite a few possessions in the paint, going 1-4 at the line for an 83% free throw shooter is about the only thing he did wrong this game, the kid has no fear of the moment, I'd take him over anyone else on that court tonight. If he made that dunk over Embiid that would have been dunk of the year in my opinion.

Horford was huge, defensively those blocks on Embiid, the steal, the free throws at the end, the layup in overtime, just an all round display of veteran leadership by the way he played.

What I found strange from both teams is the number of times a long 3 would miss and guys would stand around waiting for someone else to grab the ball, seriously? It's the playoffs, you can't assume someone from your team is going to grab it.

Celtics did a poor job of looking after the ball, a lot of their turnovers were unforced, but then you look at the Sixers and what can you say, talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

I remember arguing with so many posters at the beginning of the season because I didn't hold Covington to the same level that they did and they kept mocking me and telling me he was borderline Allstar...yeah still not seeing it.

If the Celtics can upgrade Baynes in the offseason and have him as the backup C that would be huge

[Blaze4G]

The Celtics are a better team with Rozier in and Kyrie our. Fact! I believe if Kyrie and Hayward were healthy this season they wouldn’t have been a better team. Would have restricted the emergence of better and more talented players on the Celtics roster.

I agree.

I would truly rather have Jayson Tatum than Gordon Hayward. I posted in the Boston forum many months back I thought Tatum was already better.

Certain guys move off the ball and play defense at a high level. They score points with low usage and they're great team players.

I do not think Boston's going to be better when Kyrie and Hayward come back. There's only one basketball and the better defenders are in there right now.

Huh? The Celtics will have both Tatum and Hayward on the court, SF and SG.

Incorrect. Tatum is PF, Hayward SF and Brown SG.

[Larry Legend 33]

This may be somewhere in these 165 pages, but how about Brad Stevens calling a timeout when Morris was looking to ISO late in the game. Morris, pulls up and misses but thank christ for that TO. I sincerely hope he's gone this summer, would be willing to lose him for a second rounder. Kyrie, Brown, Hayward and Tatum will need enough shots and Morris has the worst tunnel vision I've seen in a long time.

[Heej]

Wonder how those sixers fans who didn't want LeBron feel

[CoreyGallagher]

This may be somewhere in these 165 pages, but how about Brad Stevens calling a timeout when Morris was looking to ISO late in the game. Morris, pulls up and misses but thank christ for that TO. I sincerely hope he's gone this summer, would be willing to lose him for a second rounder. Kyrie, Brown, Hayward and Tatum will need enough shots and Morris has the worst tunnel vision I've seen in a long time.

Conversely, Brett's refusal to call time-outs during momentum runs and at the end of games kills me.

[RakimAbdulJabar]

This may be somewhere in these 165 pages, but how about Brad Stevens calling a timeout when Morris was looking to ISO late in the game. Morris, pulls up and misses but thank christ for that TO. I sincerely hope he's gone this summer, would be willing to lose him for a second rounder. Kyrie, Brown, Hayward and Tatum will need enough shots and Morris has the worst tunnel vision I've seen in a long time.

That was a great timeout BUT I disagree with you regarding Morris, he's bailed you guys out quite a few times this season and playoffs.

Could I interest you in Portis, Payne and Holiday for Ojeleye and Morris?

[soxfan2003]

This is unprescendented. The more talented team down 0-3 and choked all 3 games away to a very shorthanded team. With Kyrie+Hayward they will win the east anyway, but without? Sixers should be embarrassed.

By what metric is Philly more talented? Even hurt, the Celtics have more depth, and aren’t relying on buyout guys for major minutes.

Forget your metrics...Simmons and Embiid had people saying they were going to the finals. The Celtics have fine players...the sixers have transcended talent. Jingles is right...period...think this...would anyone take Kyrie and Hayward over Embiid and Simmons? No..so next year if these teams meet the sixers may have the two best players in that series.

I respect the 76ers potential but I see Simmons much, much closer to Lamar Odom -- who did deserve to make an all-star team if the NBA was selecting best 24 players each year -- in talent than Lebron. And obviously LO without his off the court problems would have been even better. LO was really good so this is no major diss.

And I see Embiid as a more talented Robert Parish but in an NBA where bigs are devalued a little bit and not another Hakeem type player. Hakeem just more explosive/quicker and that is more important than Embiid's edge in size. Parish had a great career but he was 2 levels down from Hakeem. Embiid's potential is probably 1 level down from Hakeem and that isn't transcendent. Top 10 player potential? Sure. Shaq/Hakeem/Robinson/Duncan/KG potential, I am not seeing it.

I don't see any "trancendent" talent on 76ers or Celtics. Tatum can be a HOFer and better than Embiid or Simmons but I don't see him as trancendent. To be quite honest, with what I have seen out of Tatum I wouldn't risk trading him right now for pretty much any NBA player 25 and under not named Anthony Davis. Simmons has more potential than Tatum if he develops into a very good all around shooter, I just wouldn't take that gamble in Celtics position especially.

In an NBA pre 3 point line, I'd rather have Embiid than Tatum but we are no longer in that league.

[LordCovington33]

Why wasn’t Embiid on Horford on that one possession

Because Stevens is a great coach maybe...

Read on Twitter

Genius

off ball foul on Simmons ... definitely pulling him away from the play

[Pumpkin17]

Simmons has to pass the whole summer learning to shoot at least free throws cause he cannot be so passive with the kind of space he had.
I don't care about statlines, guy was clearly not aggressive fearing to shoot from outside and to shoot free throws if he were to attack the rim.
He's young and has the time, but that is not a weakness you can tolerate from your supposed best player on a supposed contending team.

[76ciology]

Like I said.. Celtics in 3.

Its over

[DarkAzcura]

I agree.

I would truly rather have Jayson Tatum than Gordon Hayward. I posted in the Boston forum many months back I thought Tatum was already better.

Certain guys move off the ball and play defense at a high level. They score points with low usage and they're great team players.

I do not think Boston's going to be better when Kyrie and Hayward come back. There's only one basketball and the better defenders are in there right now.

Y'all are looking at this completely wrong. The Celtics starting lineup opening season included all of Tatum, Brown, and Hayward. All 3 were expected to be 30-32 MPG guys for the Celtics this season. It's not Hayward or Tatum and it's not Rozier or Kyrie.

In the playoffs, Marcus Morris and Semi have combined for 45 MPG. Those are the minutes that will go to Hayward.

In the playoffs, Smart and Larkin have combined for around 47 MPG. Those are the minutes that go back to Irving. Especially Larkin's 15 MPG.

If you don't think Irving and Hayward will improve the team over the likes of Marcus Morris, Shane Larkin, and Semi, I don't know what to tell you haha

If anything it fortifies Boston's depth. And going to the "it's only one ball" mantra really doesn't justify the argument you made. I mean Boston was like in the upper half of the league in assist and passes made per possession. So to me that blows that theory out the water.

Well that, and Morris, Smart, Semi, and Larkin have combined for ~25 FGA per game in the post season combined. Pretty easy to see where the shots will come from, lol.

If Morris is still on the team next year, then I foresee some complications. I'm sure the Celtics are aware of this, though...even though Stevens does seem to love Morris.

[Larry Legend 33]

This may be somewhere in these 165 pages, but how about Brad Stevens calling a timeout when Morris was looking to ISO late in the game. Morris, pulls up and misses but thank christ for that TO. I sincerely hope he's gone this summer, would be willing to lose him for a second rounder. Kyrie, Brown, Hayward and Tatum will need enough shots and Morris has the worst tunnel vision I've seen in a long time.

That was a great timeout BUT I disagree with you regarding Morris, he's bailed you guys out quite a few times this season and playoffs.

Could I interest you in Portis, Payne and Holiday for Ojeleye and Morris?

No doubt he has bailed us out a few times this season. He was on FIRE for 2/3 weeks after Kyrie went down and hit that buzzer beater to sink OKC. But he's a streaky shooter and a black hole offensively. When he gets the ball and starts to dribble between his legs you can tell he stopped looking around for the next pass and started staring at the basket. It's a good quality for a team like these young Celtics who needed someone off the bench with the balls to shoot a good volume. But next year, Tatum & Brown will be comfortable enough to be the #1 option when Kyrie/Hayward are on the bench. I don't want Morris taking shots away from these guys.

[CobraCommander]

By what metric is Philly more talented? Even hurt, the Celtics have more depth, and aren’t relying on buyout guys for major minutes.

Forget your metrics...Simmons and Embiid had people saying they were going to the finals. The Celtics have fine players...the sixers have transcended talent. Jingles is right...period...think this...would anyone take Kyrie and Hayward over Embiid and Simmons? No..so next year if these teams meet the sixers may have the two best players in that series.

I respect the 76ers potential but I see Simmons much, much closer to Lamar Odom -- who did deserve to make an all-star team if the NBA was selecting best 24 players each year -- in talent than Lebron. And obviously LO without his off the court problems would have been even better. LO was really good so this is no major diss.

And I see Embiid as a more talented Robert Parish but in an NBA where bigs are devalued a little bit and not another Hakeem type player. Hakeem just more explosive/quicker and that is more important than Embiid's edge in size. Parish had a great career but he was 2 levels down from Hakeem. Embiid's potential is probably 1 level down from Hakeem and that isn't transcendent. Top 10 player potential? Sure. Shaq/Hakeem/Robinson/Duncan/KG potential, I am not seeing it.

I don't see any "trancendent" talent on 76ers or Celtics. Tatum can be a HOFer and better than Embiid or Simmons but I don't see him as trancendent. To be quite honest, with what I have seen out of Tatum I wouldn't risk trading him right now for pretty much any NBA player 25 and under not named Anthony Davis. Simmons has more potential than Tatum if he develops into a very good all around shooter, I just wouldn't take that gamble in Celtics position especially.

In an NBA pre 3 point line, I'd rather have Embiid than Tatum but we are no longer in that league.

You lost me at Simmons being closers to LO.... Either way...i respect your option but I dont see it that way. I dont think LO would be considered in the same conversation with Lebron and Magic coming into the league. I see Embiid being maybe the second coming of the dream ...with a 3...but bigger...with less humility.

[Admiral-Kizaru]

Just like I predicted b4 series started. Stevens is good enough to outcoach Philly's young Talent

[FormerNBAScout]

How’s that working out for you

Not well, but I will double my bet on Game 3, and if that loses, on Game 4. After that I will either by up, or down big.

Hope you can still afford the mortgage

I'm getting creamed, but I make a lot of money.

I knew this Philly team was overrated and overhyped, but I truly thought they would win Game 2 or 3.

They've been riding high since Belichick handed them that superbowl by benching Malcom Butler. The whole town and it's fans are absolute jokes.

That being said, all-in on Philly Game 4.

[RakimAbdulJabar]

This may be somewhere in these 165 pages, but how about Brad Stevens calling a timeout when Morris was looking to ISO late in the game. Morris, pulls up and misses but thank christ for that TO. I sincerely hope he's gone this summer, would be willing to lose him for a second rounder. Kyrie, Brown, Hayward and Tatum will need enough shots and Morris has the worst tunnel vision I've seen in a long time.

That was a great timeout BUT I disagree with you regarding Morris, he's bailed you guys out quite a few times this season and playoffs.

Could I interest you in Portis, Payne and Holiday for Ojeleye and Morris?

No doubt he has bailed us out a few times this season. He was on FIRE for 2/3 weeks after Kyrie went down and hit that buzzer beater to sink OKC. But he's a streaky shooter and a black hole offensively. When he gets the ball and starts to dribble between his legs you can tell he stopped looking around for the next pass and started staring at the basket. It's a good quality for a team like these young Celtics who needed someone off the bench with the balls to shoot a good volume. But next year, Tatum & Brown will be comfortable enough to be the #1 option when Kyrie/Hayward are on the bench. I don't want Morris taking shots away from these guys.

Sure, as long as he plays within the offender, I think the problem is that guys also stand around watching when he does have the ball, so is it that they don’t expect him to pass if they cut or that they’re clearing out to let him go 1 on 1?

So how about that deal? Imagine Cameron Payne leading your 2nd unit, you may as well throw in Rozier too, you won’t need him when you have Payne

But seriously, Ojeyele for Portis please and thank you

[Darth Celtic]

Went through 15 pages to see what superdario had to say about this game. nothing.