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VC Count, 2020-21
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Victory Cigar
(12) Jayson Tatum
(9) Jaylen Brown
(3) Robert Williams
(3) Kemba Walker
(2) Payton Pritchard
(1) Marcus Smart
(1) Semi Ojeleye
(1) Luke Kornet
(1) Evan Fournier
(1) Aaron Nesmith



Ties go to the Team.
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(6) Jayson Tatum
(4) Robert Williams
(4) Stevens/Team
(4) Jaylen Brown
(3) Marcus Smart
(2) Tacko Fall
(2) Payton Pritchard
(2) Grant Williams
(2) Aaron Nesmith
(1) Carsen Edwards
(1) Daniel Theis
(1) Kemba Walker
(1) Evan Fournier
(1) Jabari Parker


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Must win, hopefully the J's will play, though honestly we have a chance even if they don't against the Magic

Wagner will probably go off against us.

I hope Fournier returns the favor and more.

I hope and expect that this 2 day off break and then Orlando will give us our one last chance to fully right this ship. While I stubbornly want the 4th seed I also realize that playing our best ball and gaining some momentum going into the playoffs is still very possible.

But our time is running out.

as Nike's Slogan suggest "JUST DO IT"

7 games left to go.

2.5 games away from 4th seed.
3.5 games away from the 9th seed.

We have four games against teams outside of the playoff window. Orlando, Chicago, Cleaveland, and Minnesota. We need to win all 4 of those. If not just be thankful the season is almost over.

Taget wrote:7 games left to go.

3 games away from 4th seed.
4 games away from the 10th seed.

We have four games against teams outside of the playoff window.
Orlando, Chicago, Cleaveland, and Minnesota. We need to win all 4 of those. If not just be thankful the season is almost over.

As per my Seeding Thread below:

We are currently the dreaded Play In 7 seed w only 7 games left.

3 games behind the 4 seed Knicks;
1 1/2 games behind the 5 seed Hawks;
1 game behind the 6 seed Heat;
2 1/2 games ahead of the 8 seed Hornets;
3 1/2 games ahead of the 9 seed Pacers;
4 games ahead of the hotter than a firecracker 10 seed Wizards

4. Knicks 37-28
5. Hawks 36-30
6. Heat 35-30
7. Celtics 34-31
8. Hornets 31-33
9. Pacers 30-34
10. Wizards 30-35

7 games left - Magic, Bulls, Heat, Heat, Cavs, Wolves, Knicks in that order.
4 seed is becoming more & more unlikely - unless the Knicks crash during their very difficult final 7 games (see Seeding Thread below).
We must absolutely take care of business VS the Magic (and the Bulls, Cavs & Wolves), & kick Miami to the ground on Sun & Tues next week if we want a shot at the 4-6 seeds & thereby avoid the Play In.
Our final game VS the Knicks may turn out to be irrelevant.

Have to win this. Orlando has a cool young backcourt but not much else.

Of course we all want a title, but I'm already mostly satisifed with the season. The Jays continue to elevate their game with Tatum scraping that elusive MVP-level tier ever so closely. A couple of Ainge draftees -- Timelord, Pritchard, Nesmith, even Langford and Grant -- have shown some potential of at least becoming rotation/situational players moving forward when given appropriate opportunity. Decisions needed to be made regarding our four vets but we have something to work with in terms of young talent. We have a reclamation project in Parker (something in the vein of the Randle Renaissance would be the ideal outcome). As a team, it's been the most disappointing and frustrating season in Stevens' tenure, but individually, the players have made varying degrees of progress. I'm still hoping for (not expecting) a deep playoff run 'cos there's still no better teacher than actual experience. But yeah, I'm now content (and realistic) with however this season ends up.

Keep Jaylen out honestly wouldn’t be against keeping Tatum out either if kemba smart ze Frenchman and friends can’t beat the magic well then tough titties.

We’re just not gonna get any games with everyone healthy and to get the chemistry right so might as well get everyone at least healthy and hope we can play together on the fly in the postseason.

With seven games left the 4th and 5th seeds are likely out of reach. At this point there are no give me games either with the amount of injuries the Celtics have.

I'm not even sure wins or losses mean much because they're going to end up playing Philadelphia Brooklyn or Milwaukee in the first round.

At this point Id just rest brown and walker and maybe even Tatum here and there.

Celtics are happily heading towards a play-in game. Don’t seem to have any concern about that outcome.

zoyathedestroya wrote:Of course we all want a title, but I'm already mostly satisifed with the season. The Jays continue to elevate their game with Tatum scraping that elusive MVP-level tier ever so closely. A couple of Ainge draftees -- Timelord, Pritchard, Nesmith, even Langford and Grant -- have shown some potential of at least becoming rotation/situational players moving forward when given appropriate opportunity. Decisions needed to be made regarding our four vets but we have something to work with in terms of young talent. We have a reclamation project in Parker (something in the vein of the Randle Renaissance would be the ideal outcome). As a team, it's been the most disappointing and frustrating season in Stevens' tenure, but individually, the players have made varying degrees of progress. I'm still hoping for (not expecting) a deep playoff run 'cos there's still no better teacher than actual experience. But yeah, I'm now content (and realistic) with however this season ends up.

If Stevens gets a Randle Renaissance out of Parker, that's it--he is the GOAT NBA coach in the making.

Celts17Pride wrote:Celtics are happily heading towards a play-in game. Don’t seem to have any concern about that outcome.

Agreed. Which means even if they make it out of the play-in, with their injury proclivities and losing the time off before a real series begins they will be too taxed and tuckered to win a series as serious underdogs. I almost get the sense they'd be happy with the season over without having to take a beating for four games from a legit contender.

cloverleaf wrote:

Celts17Pride wrote:Celtics are happily heading towards a play-in game. Don’t seem to have any concern about that outcome.

Agreed. Which means even if they make it out of the play-in, with their injury proclivities and losing the time off before a real series begins they will be too taxed and tuckered to win a series as serious underdogs. I almost get the sense they'd be happy with the season over without having to take a beating for four games from a legit contender.

Kind of getting that as well. The reward for finishing 6th 7th or 8th is getting swept on national TV. I'm sure they would rather start their vacation early then play a going through the motions series.

zoyathedestroya wrote:Of course we all want a title, but I'm already mostly satisifed with the season. The Jays continue to elevate their game with Tatum scraping that elusive MVP-level tier ever so closely. A couple of Ainge draftees -- Timelord, Pritchard, Nesmith, even Langford and Grant -- have shown some potential of at least becoming rotation/situational players moving forward when given appropriate opportunity. Decisions needed to be made regarding our four vets but we have something to work with in terms of young talent. We have a reclamation project in Parker (something in the vein of the Randle Renaissance would be the ideal outcome). As a team, it's been the most disappointing and frustrating season in Stevens' tenure, but individually, the players have made varying degrees of progress. I'm still hoping for (not expecting) a deep playoff run 'cos there's still no better teacher than actual experience. But yeah, I'm now content (and realistic) with however this season ends up.

Well said, and I agree with your bottom line. On occasion - well, on way too many occasions - this team has infuriated and even disgusted me, but so many negative factors have contributed to this crazy season: the quick turnaround from the bubble, COVID, injuries, youth, lack of practice and compressed schedule, constant rotation changes. Let's all hope many, if not all, of these factors are greatly mitigated in 2021-22. If so, I expect this team to be a legit title contender. The talent is there.

The_Ghost_of_JB wrote:

cloverleaf wrote:

Celts17Pride wrote:Celtics are happily heading towards a play-in game. Don’t seem to have any concern about that outcome.

Agreed. Which means even if they make it out of the play-in, with their injury proclivities and losing the time off before a real series begins they will be too taxed and tuckered to win a series as serious underdogs. I almost get the sense they'd be happy with the season over without having to take a beating for four games from a legit contender.

Kind of getting that as well. The reward for finishing 6th 7th or 8th is getting swept on national TV. I'm sure they would rather start their vacation early then play a going through the motions series.

Celtics are sort of like the Lakers and Heat this year. They all have the sense that they just don't have it this year. COVID, injuries, etc. Just zero momentum at this point.

I think they will just bow out quietly this year then look to a big offseason unloading the vets and going full on Tatum-Brown era...

I see that multiple posters have joined ‘our’ most negative poster (and the leader by light years in definitive but incorrect & premature negative predictions for games in progress, seasons in progress, series in progress) in projecting a quick end to our season.
And I most definitely can relate to what these opinions are based upon - glaring inconsistency, youth, injuries, Covid etc.
However, albeit a realist, I choose to believe that 1) we have a real chance to win almost all of our remaining games; 2) the Knicks may well flounder in that all of their remaining 7 games are VS PO teams and/or the Hawks (only 1 game in the L column ahead of us) will lose a few games opening the door to the 5 or 4 seed; 3) we will get up for & beat the Heat twice next week; & 4) we will give the Bucks or Sixers or Nets a run for their money. In the latter regard, if we get it rolling to finish the season & avoid the Play In/get a week off to practice, we will be a very tough out.

Celtics!

(Sorry Joe - I am not ready to join your ‘misery loves company’ club.)

cloverleaf wrote:

zoyathedestroya wrote:Of course we all want a title, but I'm already mostly satisifed with the season. The Jays continue to elevate their game with Tatum scraping that elusive MVP-level tier ever so closely. A couple of Ainge draftees -- Timelord, Pritchard, Nesmith, even Langford and Grant -- have shown some potential of at least becoming rotation/situational players moving forward when given appropriate opportunity. Decisions needed to be made regarding our four vets but we have something to work with in terms of young talent. We have a reclamation project in Parker (something in the vein of the Randle Renaissance would be the ideal outcome). As a team, it's been the most disappointing and frustrating season in Stevens' tenure, but individually, the players have made varying degrees of progress. I'm still hoping for (not expecting) a deep playoff run 'cos there's still no better teacher than actual experience. But yeah, I'm now content (and realistic) with however this season ends up.

If Stevens gets a Randle Renaissance out of Parker, that's it--he is the GOAT NBA coach in the making.

What's that make Thibodeau? Or are you just saying. Stevens would be the GOAT and not Thibodeau because Parker was worse when he came to BOS than Randle was when he arrived in New York? In which case, no argument here..

exculpatory wrote:I see that multiple posters have joined ‘our’ most negative poster (and the leader by light years in incorrect, premature, definitive negative predictions for games in progress, seasons in progress, series in progress) in projecting a quick end to our season.
But I most definitely can relate to what these opinions are based upon - glaring inconsistency, youth, injuries, Covid etc.
However, albeit a realist, I choose to believe that 1) we have a real chance to win almost all of our remaining games; 2) the Knicks may well flounder in that all of their remaining 7 games are VS PO teams and/or the Hawks (only 1 game in the L column ahead of us) will lose a few games opening the door to the 5 or 4 seed; 3) we will get up for & beat the Heat twice next week; & 4) we will give the Bucks or Sixers or Nets a run for their money. In the latter regard, if we get it rolling to finish the season & avoid the Play In/get a week off to practice, we will be a very tough out.

Celtics!

(Sorry Joe - I am not ready to join your ‘misery loves company’ club.

I'm in your camp. Staying optimistic.

1) The Nets are only a .500 team in games Harden has missed, since trading for him. Him being healthy for the playoffs is by no means a certainty. Who knows if Durant will be healthy come playoff time either. Durant and playing in game action this season are more on again, off again than Ross and Rachel.

2) If the Celtics have everyone healthy (yes, I know a big if but seems more likely than the nets having everyone healthy) I think we can beat the Bucks. We're 2-1 against the bucks this season. The first win we had no Kemba, no Fournier, no langford, no Parker. The 2nd win we had no Thompson, no Langford, no Fournier or Parker.

3) This extra rest is huge for us right now, having the extra day off before the ORL game, and then facing a bad ORL team. It doesn't seem like Tatum and Brown's injuries are that bad (although that's TBD) and Kemba should be back very soon. No back to backs in the playoffs so Kemba should play every playoff game.

4) Time Lord and playing well. Nesmith with 3 straight really good games and Fournier lighting it up the other night vs Portland and also hitting some shots vs the Spurs are all cause for optimism

5) The knicks got to the finals in 99 as an 8 seed, so ya never know! Rockets won it all in 95 as a 6 seed..Heat made the finals last year as a 5 seed because they picked up a couple of key role players mid-season and then got healthy and got hot at the right time of the year..

JB being listed as "day-to-day" seems not bad or worse than I anticipated.