Victory Cigar!!! BOS 133 @ CHI 77 (15-10)

[cloverleaf]

tough to judge guys in games like this. this was like playing a D-III school. but theis got some skills for sure.

this might be brad's chance to rest horfie's knee for a while and let theis and sideshow bob man the pivot. could be a surprise or a **** show, but it's a good time of the year to experiment when the rest of the team is rolling.

Theis is legit.

And yes, Rob needs the experience.

[cloverleaf]

Our deep bench features 3 guys who started playoff games for us last year and another key reserve who was injured. Thats absurd.

Also, Theis. Dude was +50 tonight. Thats insane.

Hayward, who was an all star for the west in 2017, and had a great playoff run that year is coming off the bench.

Scary Terry who had some huge games against the Bucks and Sixers in the playoffs is coming off the bench.

Jaylen Brown who along with Tatum was the leading scorer for the Celtics in the playoffs is coming off the bench.

Arguably the best bench the league has seen if not in a long time. Rozier, Hayward, Brown, Theis, and Baynes is insane. All those guys can be starters on a lot of teams and some of those guys have had some huge playoff games.

The balance is too perfect now. The opening day lineup had arguably our 5 best scorers starting but made everyone less effective than what they’re capable of because the roles were confusing and there isn’t enough time and possessions to make everything work.

The lineup with Kyrie, Smart, Tatum, Morris, and Horford reminds me of the warriors to a lesser extent. Smart doesn’t care about scoring at all and some goes with Horford. Both players are great at doing everything else and don’t need to score to be effective. It lets Kyrie, Tatum, and Morris be comfortable in doing what they do best. The bench with Rozier, Brown, Hayward, Theis, and Baynes is the same thing. Theis and Baynes will be the glue guys and don’t really look to score unless they are set up completely open but it lets Rozier, Brown, and Hayward to do what they want. Now everyone seems comfortable and the Celtics are starting to dominate.

Al can't and shouldn't play starting center all year. If they manage it by sitting him for his knee a third of the time I guess that's okay, but I think they need Theis or Baynes in the starting some even when Horford is playing.

Agreed re: the lineup. This early season was another major lesson for Brad. Had he listened to McHale's commentary at the top (and it wouldn't surprise me if Danny were in agreement with his old buddy all along too), they'd have a better record by now, but so be it.

[djFan71]

Voted Theis but I want to give shout out to Marcus Morris for his 1st quarter performance.

This. I saw the score while I was out, but watched it and thought Morris really set the tone early. But, Theis was just the man all night.

Also, the 2 Jays were 15-20 for 41 points, 7-7 from 3, in a combined 49 minutes.

Tatum within a percentage point of Kyrie's TS% right now (and climbing). I'd say he's about ready to get his usage closer to Kyrie's too (now at 21.6 to Kyrie's 28.0).

He could definitely handle it, but if anything, it may be Kyrie that comes down a little. More games like tonight, and Hayward is going to start earning more & more usage as well. Tonight he was the only one that wasn't really flying around or on fire, but it obviously wasn't needed. Kinda ridiculous the firepower available.

Now, put on a show for AD on Monday and let him know what he's missing out on if he takes all that money.

Also, hope Yabu isn't as bad as that looked.

[cloverleaf]

This. I saw the score while I was out, but watched it and thought Morris really set the tone early. But, Theis was just the man all night.

Also, the 2 Jays were 15-20 for 41 points, 7-7 from 3, in a combined 49 minutes.

Tatum within a percentage point of Kyrie's TS% right now (and climbing). I'd say he's about ready to get his usage closer to Kyrie's too (now at 21.6 to Kyrie's 28.0).

He could definitely handle it, but if anything, it may be Kyrie that comes down a little. More games like tonight, and Hayward is going to start earning more & more usage as well. Tonight he was the only one that wasn't really flying around or on fire, but it obviously wasn't needed. Kinda ridiculous the firepower available.

Now, put on a show for AD on Monday and let him know what he's missing out on if he takes all that money.

Also, hope Yabu isn't as bad as that looked.

That's fair. But I still think Tatum needs to go up a little.

[djFan71]

Tatum within a percentage point of Kyrie's TS% right now (and climbing). I'd say he's about ready to get his usage closer to Kyrie's too (now at 21.6 to Kyrie's 28.0).

He could definitely handle it, but if anything, it may be Kyrie that comes down a little. More games like tonight, and Hayward is going to start earning more & more usage as well. Tonight he was the only one that wasn't really flying around or on fire, but it obviously wasn't needed. Kinda ridiculous the firepower available.

Now, put on a show for AD on Monday and let him know what he's missing out on if he takes all that money.

Also, hope Yabu isn't as bad as that looked.

That's fair. But I still think Tatum needs to go up a little.

Fine by me. I do think we should work him the ball a little more. I just think against 60% or so of the league it's going to be an equal opportunity feast and everyone's usage will be limited by that. I might be optimistic, but I think they're going to roll for a while now and enjoy beating the carp out of everyone like Kyrie said a few days ago.

[cloverleaf]

He could definitely handle it, but if anything, it may be Kyrie that comes down a little. More games like tonight, and Hayward is going to start earning more & more usage as well. Tonight he was the only one that wasn't really flying around or on fire, but it obviously wasn't needed. Kinda ridiculous the firepower available.

Now, put on a show for AD on Monday and let him know what he's missing out on if he takes all that money.

Also, hope Yabu isn't as bad as that looked.

That's fair. But I still think Tatum needs to go up a little.

Fine by me. I do think we should work him the ball a little more. I just think against 60% or so of the league it's going to be an equal opportunity feast and everyone's usage will be limited by that. I might be optimistic, but I think they're going to roll for a while now and enjoy beating the carp out of everyone like Kyrie said a few days ago.

He'll draw more attention from Kyrie and help spread the floor if he's a little more frequent a threat.

[Froob]

Just watched the game, Jesus that’s embarrassing. Theis and Jaylen balling it was especially fun to watch.

[liveod]

Been waiting for Theis to get this many minutes. I get made fun of for saying he needs to be playing major minutes.

[MissileMike]

I sort of foreshadowed this in the game thread. You can't make your team run suicides all week and expect them to compete in a tough back to back. Be thankful you guys have Brad Stevens.

[captain green]

And now we know why he was mvp in Germany.
Every effort of this dude last year and this year is worth twice his contract. Keep balling theis. Love this signing by ainge.

[cloverleaf]

I sort of foreshadowed this in the game thread. You can't make your team run suicides all week and expect them to compete in a tough back to back. Be thankful you guys have Brad Stevens.

Ha--that's right, you did!

[Fencer reregistered]

Arguably the best bench the league has seen

KC Jones, Sam Jones, John Havlicek ...

Or the 1980s Celtics the year Walton was healthy.

But yeah -- it's a very good group.

[Taget]

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free and let us beat them to shreds at basketball."

[return2glory]

Amazing, record breaking win.

We witnessed history. And yes, Brad is the best coach in the league.

Went with Theis for VC. Jaylen was my 2nd choice.

Good games by Tatum, Rozier, Morris, and Semi.

Inserting Smart and Morris into the starting lineup has changed everything around. Real impressive balance of offensive and defense and toughness, energy and hussle. They are playing like a cohesive unit, a fine oiled machine.

[Shak_Celts]

Arguably the best bench the league has seen

KC Jones, Sam Jones, John Havlicek ...

Or the 1980s Celtics the year Walton was healthy.

But yeah -- it's a very good group.

Always have to add "one of" given the great teams in NBA history!

[Chinaski]

And now we know why he was mvp in Germany.
Every effort of this dude last year and this year is worth twice his contract. Keep balling theis. Love this signing by ainge.

He was not though. He was the DPOY in 2017 but he never came close to being an MVP. I knew him pretty well as a player and i liked the signing, but i never thought that he would be so efficent offensively. I remembered him as a great defensive player and energy guy, but he either worked his butt off during summer 2017 or he was brutally underutilized offensively here in Germany. His team was stacked though so perhaps they just never needed him to carry the offense. But i am defintely with you, love the signing. Great find by Ainge or whoever found him.

[Froob]

Read on Twitter

[captain green]

And now we know why he was mvp in Germany.
Every effort of this dude last year and this year is worth twice his contract. Keep balling theis. Love this signing by ainge.

He was not though. He was the DPOY in 2017 but he never came close to being an MVP. I knew him pretty well as a player and i liked the signing, but i never thought that he would be so efficent offensively. I remembered him as a great defensive player and energy guy, but he either worked his butt off during summer 2017 or he was brutally underutilized offensively here in Germany. His team was stacked though so perhaps they just never needed him to carry the offense. But i am defintely with you, love the signing. Great find by Ainge or whoever found him.

I guess I thought most effective German in 2016 was the the equivalent to mvp my bad. I knew about the DPOY but in 2016 most effective German what ever that means.

[31to6]

So this victory is in a 8-way tie for the 13th largest margin in NBA history including playoffs and regular season!
Remove the playoffs and it's in a 7-way tie for the 11th largest margin

We ended up ‘just’ 21 points shy of doubling them up. I didn't realize that's actually been done in NBA history!

124 - 59  
Indiana Pacers over the Portland Trail Blazers
1997-98 (RS) / Feb 27, 1998 / at Indiana

weirdly, it ALMOST happened in the playoffs:

121 -63  
Denver Nuggets over the New Orleans Hornets
2008-09 (PL) / Apr 27, 2009 / at New Orleans /
Western Conference First Round

which of course is yet another reason for AD to leave NO:)

The Lakers came two points shy of doubling up the Cavs in 2011 (despite 12 points from Alonzo Gee):
112 -57  
Los Angeles Lakers over the Cleveland Cavaliers
2010-11 (RS) / Jan 11, 2011 / at Los Angeles

There seem to be about a 10-12 games where one team came 10-14 points from doubling up their opponent. I've pretty mch managed to forget this one in 2003 when Antoine went 1-for-15 and we were only 14 points away from being doubled up:
118 - 66  
Detroit Pistons over the Boston Celtics
2002-03 (RS) / Jan 31, 2003 / at Boston

Source for all this: https://www.landofbasketball.com/statistics/largest_margins.htm

[mbsnmisc]

Arguably the best bench the league has seen

KC Jones, Sam Jones, John Havlicek ...

Or the 1980s Celtics the year Walton was healthy.

But yeah -- it's a very good group.

You beat me to it.