ECSF: P1 | (2) Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers (3) | BOS 1-0

[BullyKing]

This thread is the worst. I wish there was a second thread created for this series where I could just read the posts of non-Celtics and non-Sixers fans.

[SmartWentCrazy]

A year ago, Horford struggled in 30% of playoff games against two journey centers - Robin Lopez and Marcin Gortat, neither of whom is as strong, big or skilled as Embiid. Embiid require a lot of help defense, which the Celtics are very good at. I have no doubt that you will force him into making turnovers and drawing an occasional offensive foul. But when you double-team him, a) he's a good passer and b) the Sixers are not the same team they were back in October, November and January. We've got shooters off the bench and, whatever comparisons you wish to make between Simmons and Giannis, Simmons is a better ball-handler and passer. We have better passers throughout the lineup than Milwaukee.

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3213/year/2017/al-horford
http://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/2758/year/2017/marcin-gortat
http://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3447/year/2017/robin-lopez

Celts are going to go Baynes on Embiid with Monroe and Horford also.

Horford will play the PF, and maybe even Simmons.

If 76ers hitting 3s, they will be tough.

I am interested to see how Stevens devised a defense win Simmons. Heat have a fraction of the talent than even this depleted Celtics team.
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I like Baynes as a backup center, but are you suggesting that he's a match for Embiid? It could happen of course. But this would be like a Sixers fan saying that TJ McConnell can stop Kyrie. Don't you think? We're talking about journeymen players defending all stars.

Baynes has the 6th best DRPM in the league, so its more than a little different than TJ vs Kyrie.

[bisme37]

This thread is the worst. I wish there was a second thread created for this series where I could just read the posts of non-Celtics and non-Sixers fans.

I'm a Celtics fan and this thread is too stupid for me too, just to put it out there. Not sure why people enjoy arguing with other people who will never be convinced of their argument, just for the sake of arguing. Seems like the recipe for an unpleasant day to me.

[Arsenal]

This. It would be extremely embarrassing if they lose to the Celtics. I made a bias prediction in favor of the Celtics but Philly with their talent and being healthy should beat the Celtics. If I see this series going 6 or more then you can forget about the Sixers challenging the Celtics in the next 2 years minimum unless Lebron joins because the Celtics would do a number on the Sixers if they aren’t injured next season. If Embiid is the next Kareem and Simmons is the next Magic and Saric being only a little worse than Hayward and Covington being better than both Tatum and Brown then the Sixers should sweep the Celtics if the hype is that big.

Lol. This is the angle that Celtics fans are taking? Pathetic and sad. If you're expecting to lose I don't want to read any trash talk towards this 76ers and their fans. Series hasn't even started and you guys don't believe in your team. Let me guess, when the Sixers win the new argument will be, "but they didn't beat us in 4-5 games" Lmao, doubt Sixers fans care how they beat you, they're not even supposed to be here. Sixers are the team playing with house money and nothing to lose. They are far ahead of schedule

I have belief in my team to make it a series. But don’t be stupid the Celtics are without their 2 best players. I even thought the Bucks had a good chance to beat the Celtics. How good would the Sixers be without Simmons and Embiid going up against a healthy Celtics team? It’s not excuses it’s facts because no team missing their best players in this league would go very far. Celtics are the injured team you guys have all the hype in the world, if anything it’s the Celtics playing with house money. And yes Celtics fans have it both ways. You lose to us, you guys would get laughed at. You win, oh well you guys have magic, Kareem and a player near Hayward’s level so it’s expected. I can sit back and relax and not care if we lose. Said the same with Milwaukee. If we win I’ll be ecstatic. And yes you guys will get trashed if you guys need 6 games or more to win or lose because the hype not only your fanbase created but the media as well. You’re the healthy bunch here not the Celtics. The Sixers without Embiid and Simmons would lose in 3 to the Celtics with a healthy Kyrie and Hayward. Stop ignoring that.

Yes I’ll laugh if it takes 6 games not because of you guys advancing but laugh because you guys aren’t much competition next year if you don’t land Lebron. I’ll congratulate you guys on your success this season and advancing to the conference finals but it’s more of what’s to come next season bud.

I don't agree that your 2 best players are out. Al Horford was better than Kyrie Irving this year. He was better than Hayward was last year also. So you're missing 2 of your 3 best players. It would be like us missing Simmons and Covington.

And no, we would not lose in 3 to a healthy Celtics team. Stop spewing unsubstantiated BS. And even when (if?) those guys come back 100% next year, which is no certainty, we could easily be better next year also. With or without LeBron.

[PierceFan4ever]

Lol. This is the angle that Celtics fans are taking? Pathetic and sad. If you're expecting to lose I don't want to read any trash talk towards this 76ers and their fans. Series hasn't even started and you guys don't believe in your team. Let me guess, when the Sixers win the new argument will be, "but they didn't beat us in 4-5 games" Lmao, doubt Sixers fans care how they beat you, they're not even supposed to be here. Sixers are the team playing with house money and nothing to lose. They are far ahead of schedule

I have belief in my team to make it a series. But don’t be stupid the Celtics are without their 2 best players. I even thought the Bucks had a good chance to beat the Celtics. How good would the Sixers be without Simmons and Embiid going up against a healthy Celtics team? It’s not excuses it’s facts because no team missing their best players in this league would go very far. Celtics are the injured team you guys have all the hype in the world, if anything it’s the Celtics playing with house money. And yes Celtics fans have it both ways. You lose to us, you guys would get laughed at. You win, oh well you guys have magic, Kareem and a player near Hayward’s level so it’s expected. I can sit back and relax and not care if we lose. Said the same with Milwaukee. If we win I’ll be ecstatic. And yes you guys will get trashed if you guys need 6 games or more to win or lose because the hype not only your fanbase created but the media as well. You’re the healthy bunch here not the Celtics. The Sixers without Embiid and Simmons would lose in 3 to the Celtics with a healthy Kyrie and Hayward. Stop ignoring that.

Yes I’ll laugh if it takes 6 games not because of you guys advancing but laugh because you guys aren’t much competition next year if you don’t land Lebron. I’ll congratulate you guys on your success this season and advancing to the conference finals but it’s more of what’s to come next season bud.

I don't agree that your 2 best players are out. Al Horford was better than Kyrie Irving this year. He was better than Hayward was last year also. So you're missing 2 of your 3 best players. It would be like us missing Simmons and Covington.

And no, we would not lose in 3 to a healthy Celtics team. Stop spewing unsubstantiated BS. And even when (if?) those guys come back 100% next year, which is no certainty, we could easily be better next year also. With or without LeBron.

No I watched Kyrie and Horford play every game this season and Kyrie is easily the better player. Horford is good and if you find him impressive right now then just wait till Kyrie and Hayward get back. Look up what both of them did last year’s playoffs. Covington is not even close to Kyrie or Hayward so don’t even start. The Celtics are missing their 2 best players period. You can’t tell Celtics fans otherwise, we all know who our 2 best players are. Even then with you guys missing Simmons and Covington, a healthy Celtics team would sweep that Sixers team so it’s a valid reason and shouldn’t be used as an excuse.

You can feel free to disagree. If this series goes at least 6 then yeah without Lebron I can see the Celtics either sweeping the Sixers next year or in 5 at most if everyone is healthy on the Celtics.

[B-Ball Freak]

C's in 6...Stevens gonna pull another rabbit out the hat and the Celtics will get make some extremely timely shots and stops to steal two games in Philly. Scary Terry will show up at least 2 times with 5 or more threes and Smart with one game winning flop.

[SMTBSI]

The same Celtic fans predicting a win I don't want to see saying they "don't care" and "Celtics should lose" when they go down.

If you see a poster flip-flopping like that, then call them on it and quote their flip-flop. They deserve it.

But if it's different posters, don't act like it's the same posters. I see that all the time too. More often, actually.

[michaelm]

I have belief in my team to make it a series. But don’t be stupid the Celtics are without their 2 best players. I even thought the Bucks had a good chance to beat the Celtics. How good would the Sixers be without Simmons and Embiid going up against a healthy Celtics team? It’s not excuses it’s facts because no team missing their best players in this league would go very far. Celtics are the injured team you guys have all the hype in the world, if anything it’s the Celtics playing with house money. And yes Celtics fans have it both ways. You lose to us, you guys would get laughed at. You win, oh well you guys have magic, Kareem and a player near Hayward’s level so it’s expected. I can sit back and relax and not care if we lose. Said the same with Milwaukee. If we win I’ll be ecstatic. And yes you guys will get trashed if you guys need 6 games or more to win or lose because the hype not only your fanbase created but the media as well. You’re the healthy bunch here not the Celtics. The Sixers without Embiid and Simmons would lose in 3 to the Celtics with a healthy Kyrie and Hayward. Stop ignoring that.

Yes I’ll laugh if it takes 6 games not because of you guys advancing but laugh because you guys aren’t much competition next year if you don’t land Lebron. I’ll congratulate you guys on your success this season and advancing to the conference finals but it’s more of what’s to come next season bud.

I don't agree that your 2 best players are out. Al Horford was better than Kyrie Irving this year. He was better than Hayward was last year also. So you're missing 2 of your 3 best players. It would be like us missing Simmons and Covington.

And no, we would not lose in 3 to a healthy Celtics team. Stop spewing unsubstantiated BS. And even when (if?) those guys come back 100% next year, which is no certainty, we could easily be better next year also. With or without LeBron.

No I watched Kyrie and Horford play every game this season and Kyrie is easily the better player. Horford is good and if you find him impressive right now then just wait till Kyrie and Hayward get back. Look up what both of them did last year’s playoffs. Covington is not even close to Kyrie or Hayward so don’t even start. The Celtics are missing their 2 best players period. You can’t tell Celtics fans otherwise, we all know who our 2 best players are. Even then with you guys missing Simmons and Covington, a healthy Celtics team would sweep that Sixers team so it’s a valid reason and shouldn’t be used as an excuse.

You can feel free to disagree. If this series goes at least 6 then yeah without Lebron I can see the Celtics either sweeping the Sixers next year or in 5 at most if everyone is healthy on the Celtics.

I have a suggestion. We could confine ourselves to discussion of the Celtics team playing this year, the only team the current Sixers have any opportunity to play, and should they meet again in the play-offs next year we could talk about the teams that are playing next year.

If the Celtics have injured players that is the Celtics'/your problem, and not anything to do with the Sixers.

[PierceFan4ever]

I don't agree that your 2 best players are out. Al Horford was better than Kyrie Irving this year. He was better than Hayward was last year also. So you're missing 2 of your 3 best players. It would be like us missing Simmons and Covington.

And no, we would not lose in 3 to a healthy Celtics team. Stop spewing unsubstantiated BS. And even when (if?) those guys come back 100% next year, which is no certainty, we could easily be better next year also. With or without LeBron.

No I watched Kyrie and Horford play every game this season and Kyrie is easily the better player. Horford is good and if you find him impressive right now then just wait till Kyrie and Hayward get back. Look up what both of them did last year’s playoffs. Covington is not even close to Kyrie or Hayward so don’t even start. The Celtics are missing their 2 best players period. You can’t tell Celtics fans otherwise, we all know who our 2 best players are. Even then with you guys missing Simmons and Covington, a healthy Celtics team would sweep that Sixers team so it’s a valid reason and shouldn’t be used as an excuse.

You can feel free to disagree. If this series goes at least 6 then yeah without Lebron I can see the Celtics either sweeping the Sixers next year or in 5 at most if everyone is healthy on the Celtics.

I have a suggestion. We could confine ourselves to discussion of the Celtics team playing this year, the only team the current Sixers have any opportunity to play, and should they meet again in the play-offs next year we could talk about the teams that are playing next year.

If the Celtics have injured players that is the Celtics'/your problem, and not anything to do with the Sixers.

Ok? I don’t care. All I said is if the Sixers need 6 or more games to beat the Celtics then I’ll laugh because I think the Celtics healthy next year would smoke them if Lebron doesn’t join. Feel free to disagree with that

[Arsenal]

I have belief in my team to make it a series. But don’t be stupid the Celtics are without their 2 best players. I even thought the Bucks had a good chance to beat the Celtics. How good would the Sixers be without Simmons and Embiid going up against a healthy Celtics team? It’s not excuses it’s facts because no team missing their best players in this league would go very far. Celtics are the injured team you guys have all the hype in the world, if anything it’s the Celtics playing with house money. And yes Celtics fans have it both ways. You lose to us, you guys would get laughed at. You win, oh well you guys have magic, Kareem and a player near Hayward’s level so it’s expected. I can sit back and relax and not care if we lose. Said the same with Milwaukee. If we win I’ll be ecstatic. And yes you guys will get trashed if you guys need 6 games or more to win or lose because the hype not only your fanbase created but the media as well. You’re the healthy bunch here not the Celtics. The Sixers without Embiid and Simmons would lose in 3 to the Celtics with a healthy Kyrie and Hayward. Stop ignoring that.

Yes I’ll laugh if it takes 6 games not because of you guys advancing but laugh because you guys aren’t much competition next year if you don’t land Lebron. I’ll congratulate you guys on your success this season and advancing to the conference finals but it’s more of what’s to come next season bud.

I don't agree that your 2 best players are out. Al Horford was better than Kyrie Irving this year. He was better than Hayward was last year also. So you're missing 2 of your 3 best players. It would be like us missing Simmons and Covington.

And no, we would not lose in 3 to a healthy Celtics team. Stop spewing unsubstantiated BS. And even when (if?) those guys come back 100% next year, which is no certainty, we could easily be better next year also. With or without LeBron.

No I watched Kyrie and Horford play every game this season and Kyrie is easily the better player. Horford is good and if you find him impressive right now then just wait till Kyrie and Hayward get back. Look up what both of them did last year’s playoffs. Covington is not even close to Kyrie or Hayward so don’t even start. The Celtics are missing their 2 best players period. You can’t tell Celtics fans otherwise, we all know who our 2 best players are. Even then with you guys missing Simmons and Covington, a healthy Celtics team would sweep that Sixers team so it’s a valid reason and shouldn’t be used as an excuse.

You can feel free to disagree. If this series goes at least 6 then yeah without Lebron I can see the Celtics either sweeping the Sixers next year or in 5 at most if everyone is healthy on the Celtics.

No, Al Horford was far superior to Kyrie in both RPM and RAPM this year, the two best advanced stats we have for measuring player impact. The Celtics didn't perform much worse without Kyrie on the court.

Overall, Kyrie Irving is one of the most overrated players in the league. And considering his chronic injury problems, I wouldn't count on seeing him in the playoffs in the future either. He's likely to get hurt as usual.

[hookshot199]

Celts are going to go Baynes on Embiid with Monroe and Horford also.

Horford will play the PF, and maybe even Simmons.

If 76ers hitting 3s, they will be tough.

I am interested to see how Stevens devised a defense win Simmons. Heat have a fraction of the talent than even this depleted Celtics team.
Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

I like Baynes as a backup center, but are you suggesting that he's a match for Embiid? It could happen of course. But this would be like a Sixers fan saying that TJ McConnell can stop Kyrie. Don't you think? We're talking about journeymen players defending all stars.

Baynes has the 6th best DRPM in the league, so its more than a little different than TJ vs Kyrie.

And 12th the year before, 48th the year before that, 32nd the year before that, and 26th the year before that.

[FlatearthZorro]

Ainge would have been aware of Kyrie's injury history and would realise that the cavs would not have given you a fully healthy Kyrie for the assets given, so an already injured player missing time due to injury is to be expected. If we get Kawhi at a discount and he ends reinjuring himself, we have nobody else to blame. If Ainge wants a healthy player, then he shouldn't be trading for one like Kyrie and then using his absence as an excuse. If Embiid went down with injury, then tough luck. He fell to us because of his injury history. I doubt Kyrie or Embiid would be on our respective teams of they were healthy.

You didn't answer my question tho, is it an excuse that you're better with Embiid and Simmons or a fact? Asking for a friend.

Btw, Horfie's shooting the 3 ball better than Embiid's overall FG %. 35 mins 58.8% from the field, 43.8% from 3, 76.5 FT, 18.1ppg, 8.7 rbs, 3.3 assists, 1.4 blocks. It will get interesting for sure.

It is unfortunate, but it is what it is.

The Sixers might not win anyway, but if they do they will have beaten everyone who turned up to play them, and no more can any team do. It is up to the Celtics to put the best team they can on the court, nothing to do with the Sixers, and in Kyrie's case they partly got him in the first place because he threatened to have surgery straight away if the Cavs didn't trade him, so he was a risk the Celtics took.

Next year will be a new thing, which can be looked at then.

Got your point. Hope at least Brown can be back.

I do agree that it's unfortunate. One was freak injury and the other was thought to be fixable in the summer. It is what it is, but calling it an excuse considering how bias most 76ers fans are it's pretty freaking hypocritical when it is a fact actually.

[PierceFan4ever]

I don't agree that your 2 best players are out. Al Horford was better than Kyrie Irving this year. He was better than Hayward was last year also. So you're missing 2 of your 3 best players. It would be like us missing Simmons and Covington.

And no, we would not lose in 3 to a healthy Celtics team. Stop spewing unsubstantiated BS. And even when (if?) those guys come back 100% next year, which is no certainty, we could easily be better next year also. With or without LeBron.

No I watched Kyrie and Horford play every game this season and Kyrie is easily the better player. Horford is good and if you find him impressive right now then just wait till Kyrie and Hayward get back. Look up what both of them did last year’s playoffs. Covington is not even close to Kyrie or Hayward so don’t even start. The Celtics are missing their 2 best players period. You can’t tell Celtics fans otherwise, we all know who our 2 best players are. Even then with you guys missing Simmons and Covington, a healthy Celtics team would sweep that Sixers team so it’s a valid reason and shouldn’t be used as an excuse.

You can feel free to disagree. If this series goes at least 6 then yeah without Lebron I can see the Celtics either sweeping the Sixers next year or in 5 at most if everyone is healthy on the Celtics.

No, Al Horford was far superior to Kyrie in both RPM and RAPM this year, the two best advanced stats we have for measuring player impact. The Celtics didn't perform much worse without Kyrie on the court.

Overall, Kyrie Irving is one of the most overrated players in the league. And considering his chronic injury problems, I wouldn't count on seeing him in the playoffs in the future either. He's likely to get hurt as usual.

Don’t care about rpm. Celtics offense is struggling mightly without him. He’s been the Celtics best players all season and almost everyone knows that. I wouldn’t count on Embiid in future playoff games either. See how that works? Like I said, Celtics are without their 2 best players, if you don’t agree with it, too bad because you’re on the minority.

[Hipster Doofus]

If you wanna compare the wings of Miami to Boston I dont think anything can be explained to you.

Again, easy way out through the usage of a GIF. No explanation whatsoever.

Wait.. do you really believe the wings of Miami = those of Boston? I'll be more than happy to "explain it" to you.

Ok.

[Hipster Doofus]

And people were saying Celtics is a lottery team when Hayward went down. I can just imagine what they said when Kyrie went down.

People need... Sixers fans need to stop trying to pretend they are the underdog in this series. I haven't seen the Vegas odds but in sure Philly is favorites. So just stop.

It's either embid and Simmons are generational talents and overwhelming favorites of they are just okay and the underdogs.

Make up your mind

Where are you getting the vibe of "Sixers fans trying to pretend to be the underdogs"?

We're currently not the underdogs. However, we literally started from the bottom of the NBA and here we are now. This entire season we've been underdogs.

In the playoffs though, after that insane winning streak to end the season, people took notice. So currently, in the playoffs, we're not the underdogs. During the regular season, we were.

Anyways, Sixers in 6. In 7 if things get a little crazy the first couple of games.

[FlatearthZorro]

If you wanna compare the wings of Miami to Boston I dont think anything can be explained to you.

Again, easy way out through the usage of a GIF. No explanation whatsoever.

It's pretty easy. Go check the stats- defense and offense. It should be eye opening.

[hookshot199]

This thread is the worst. I wish there was a second thread created for this series where I could just read the posts of non-Celtics and non-Sixers fans.

I'm a Celtics fan and this thread is too stupid for me too, just to put it out there. Not sure why people enjoy arguing with other people who will never be convinced of their argument, just for the sake of arguing. Seems like the recipe for an unpleasant day to me.

That's why you have team forums and a general board.

[loveandbeer]

LMAO the Celtics played just fine without Kyrie this season. Enough of that as an excuse

[FlatearthZorro]

LMAO the Celtics played just fine without Kyrie this season. Enough of that as an excuse

Well the problem has always been the offensive rating. The defense got slightly better but the offensive rating plummeted, sadly. And you need big shot makers/creators in the playoffs.

[Robo_Claw]

This thread is the worst. I wish there was a second thread created for this series where I could just read the posts of non-Celtics and non-Sixers fans.

It is literally the worst.