Celtics 2023-24, Season Thread

[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

We'll all be watching the game Saturday....

[Jammer]

The time has come for Malcolm Brogdan and Derrick White to close out the last 8 minutes of games, unless one of them is really off AND Marcus Smart is really on. Brogdan and White have outplayed Smart all season.

Heck, on a minutes basis you could make a strong argument that even Hauser or Blake Griffin have surpassed Smart, who is on the decline and has no business taking 5.6 3's per game when he is the 10th best 3 point shooter on the Celtics (but then Jaylen Brown takes 7.3 3's per game and Brown is the 11th best 3 point shooter on the Celtics).

An alternative perspective:

Pts. + Rebounds + (0.5 x Assists) + Steals + (0.5 x Blocks) - Missed FGs - (0.5 x Missed Free Throws) - Turnovers - (0.5 x Fouls)

+26.7 Jayson Tatum (36.9 minutes)
+21.2 Jaylen Brown (35.9 minutes)

+14.6 Robert Williams III (23.5 minutes)
+13.7 Malcolm Brogdan (26 minutes)
+12.8 Al Horford (30.5 minutes)
+11.7 Derrick White (28.3 minutes)

+9.7 Marcus Smart (32.1 minutes)
+8.5 Grant Williams (25.9 minutes)
+6.3 Mike Muscala (16.2 minutes)
+6.2 Sam Hauser (16.1 minutes)
+5.9 Blake Griffin (13.9 minutes)
+5.7 Luke Kornet (11.7 minutes)
+4.2 Payton Pritchard (13.4 minutes)

[Fierce1]

Agree that White and Brogs over Smart in crunch time.

But I doubt that happens this season.

Next best thing is Smart and Brogs closing out games.

[zoyathedestroya]

Teams that beat their preseason total projection:

• BOS: 57 (53.5)
• CLE: 51 (47.5)
• DEN: 53 (52.5)
• IND: 35 (22.5)
• MEM: 51 (48.5)
• MIL: 58 (52.5)
• NYK: 47 (38.5)
• OKC: 40 (24.5)
• ORL: 34 (27.5)
• PHI: 54 (51.5)
• SAC: 48 (33.5)
• UTA: 37 (23.5)

[31to6]

Teams that beat their preseason total projection:

• BOS: 57 (53.5)
• CLE: 51 (47.5)
• DEN: 53 (52.5)
• IND: 35 (22.5)
• MEM: 51 (48.5)
• MIL: 58 (52.5)
• NYK: 47 (38.5)
• OKC: 40 (24.5)
• ORL: 34 (27.5)
• PHI: 54 (51.5)
• SAC: 48 (33.5)
• UTA: 37 (23.5)

I remember an opening-night ESPN (I think) graphic on which one of their prognosticators had the Celtics finishing *sixth* in the East and I'm sure whoever did that is still employed

[sam_I_am]

I predicted 52 wins largely because of load management of Al and RW needing another surgery. That we won 57 games with Rob missing 47 games and the Ime debacle is a great accomplishment. Kornet and Griffen really filled in admirably in their roles. DWhite’s great season as a starter was key.

[zoyathedestroya]

I predicted 52 wins largely because of load management of Al and RW needing another surgery. That we won 57 games with Rob missing 47 games and the Ime debacle is a great accomplishment. Kornet and Griffen really filled in admirably in their roles. DWhite’s great season as a starter was key.

With Smart having an uneven (more down than up esp with his injuries) year and Grant regressing as the year went on, having guys like White and Hauser step in and step up has been huge for this team. Brogdon had a rocky month midseason but has also been steady off the bench (one of our most reliable 6th men in a long time actually).

[exculpatory]

Again, Derrick Brogdon to open & close - unless Cobra is having an exceptional game.
Otherwise, Cobra gets very good 6 man minutes focusing on energy, D, distribution & must take shots in the flow of the game.

Listen up, Bubblegum!

[Hal14]

Teams that beat their preseason total projection:

• BOS: 57 (53.5)
• CLE: 51 (47.5)
• DEN: 53 (52.5)
• IND: 35 (22.5)
• MEM: 51 (48.5)
• MIL: 58 (52.5)
• NYK: 47 (38.5)
• OKC: 40 (24.5)
• ORL: 34 (27.5)
• PHI: 54 (51.5)
• SAC: 48 (33.5)
• UTA: 37 (23.5)

Based on this, the COY race should be Mike Brown, Mark Daigneault and Will Hardy. Hell of a job by those 3 guys.

[Celts17Pride]

Celtics need the Hawks to take care of business.

Not a position that you want to be in.

[Jammer]

Teams that beat their preseason total projection:

• BOS: 57 (53.5)
• CLE: 51 (47.5)
• DEN: 53 (52.5)
• IND: 35 (22.5)
• MEM: 51 (48.5)
• MIL: 58 (52.5)
• NYK: 47 (38.5)
• OKC: 40 (24.5)
• ORL: 34 (27.5)
• PHI: 54 (51.5)
• SAC: 48 (33.5)
• UTA: 37 (23.5)

Based on this, the COY race should be Mike Brown, Mark Daigneault and Will Hardy. Hell of a job by those 3 guys.

Hardy is phenomenal. Watched about 54 Utah games this season. Too bad he's in Utah and not Boston. Great coach. No one has any entitlements there. He plays to win, and EVERYONE Plays hard and the right way or doesn't play.

[tfribs45]

Agree that White and Brogs over Smart in crunch time.

But I doubt that happens this season.

Next best thing is Smart and Brogs closing out games.

Smahhht haters need to stop crying man. We're not winning this thing without him! Watch and see who steps it up defensively or runs the point like a boss when the lights are bright. We've seen this story before.

[playa-hater]

Again, Derrick Brogdon to open & close - unless Cobra is having an exceptional game.
Otherwise, Cobra gets very good 6 man minutes focusing on energy, D, distribution & must take shots in the flow of the game.

Listen up, Bubblegum!

Smart has started every game this year. So no chance he doesn't start. But Brogdon and White definitely need to finish over Smart. Not so much a knock on Smart but, more to how good White and Brogdon have been and how much better they fit with the Jays.

Especially against Miami. It is not a guess but a FACT Spo and Miami will be laying off of Smart and trapping Tatum and Brown if all in together. Happened way too many times.

My stomach is already turning at the thought our coach will be too afraid to make this move.

[playa-hater]

Agree that White and Brogs over Smart in crunch time.

But I doubt that happens this season.

Next best thing is Smart and Brogs closing out games.

Smahhht haters need to stop crying man. We're not winning this thing without him! Watch and see who steps it up defensively or runs the point like a boss when the lights are bright. We've seen this story before.

It is NOT HATING when posters say Brogdon or White over Smart. And we do need Smart to play BIGTIME. But the players who give us the best chance to close out should play. And many on here feel Brogdon and/or White are better choices. That's it..

[zoyathedestroya]

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[165bows]

Brogdon/Brown has been the worst pairing of all the top-7 guys in the team.

That said Smart has had a lot of time this year when he wasn’t great, and they need good Marcus Smart barring the return of bonkers Derrick White.

[Fencer reregistered]

Looks to me like Gallo is a basketball player again.

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However, saying that is very different from saying that he's an NBA player who should get minutes over the better of Sam Hauser, Grant Williams and/or Mike Muscala.

Especially on defense. On offense, lack of quickness turns you into less of an asset. On defense, it can turn you into a fatal liability.

[zoyathedestroya]

Brogdon/Brown has been the worst pairing of all the top-7 guys in the team.

That said Smart has had a lot of time this year when he wasn’t great, and they need good Marcus Smart barring the return of bonkers Derrick White.

JB/JT/MS: +3.6
JB/JT/DW: +11.6
JB/JT/MB: -3.0

Although I think the Brogdon-Brown pairing (no JT) was significantly on the positive side since all-star break. They ended up just about neutral for the year.

[165bows]

Brogdon/Brown has been the worst pairing of all the top-7 guys in the team.

That said Smart has had a lot of time this year when he wasn’t great, and they need good Marcus Smart barring the return of bonkers Derrick White.

JB/JT/MS: +3.6
JB/JT/DW: +11.6
JB/JT/MB: -3.0

Although I think the Brogdon-Brown pairing (no JT) was significantly on the positive side since all-star break. They ended up just about neutral for the year.

Lotta weapons on this team. JT/Brogs +7.6 on the year. Brown/Brogs finally pulled into the positive at +0.9.

I’d imagine Brogs gets most if not all of the non-brown minutes. Gonna be a battle among Grant, Hauser, maybe Muscala and Griffin for about 40 total minutes left (give or take about 15) after the top seven guys get their fill.

[zoyathedestroya]

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