2023 East Semifinals | (2) Boston Celtics VS. (3) Philadelphia 76ers (PHI leads 3-2)

[Jailblazers7]

The lack of a PG is really gonna haunt this Celtics era. Feels like they’re a Mike Conley style PG away from being a complete team.

[Raps in 4]

The lack of a PG is really gonna haunt this Celtics era. Feels like they’re a Mike Conley style PG away from being a complete team.

I know Masai is in love with FVV and would never trade him, but he'd actually fit in Boston.

[nikster]

The difference is when Embiid flops, it is after contact from the defensive player. Half the time when Smart flops, it is from a stiff breeze.

There is a difference.

as if we havent seen Embiid flail hit the floor a dozen times in a single game

I do not dispute that Embiid goes down a lot. However, there is a difference between Embiid going down with contact - incidental or not - and Smart flopping at the HINT of contact.

You do know this - right?

You suggesting Embiid doesn't fall or flail when there's only a hint of contact?

[ken6199]

Read on Twitter

/photo/1

The difference between Embiid and Jokic on this list is laughable.

Yup!!!!

You guys surely won't let go of any opportunities.

[bebopdeluxe]

Read on Twitter

/photo/1

The difference between Embiid and Jokic on this list is laughable.

Your childish obsession with Jokic is the actual laughable part.

What "childish obsession"? When you watch Embiid defend the rim like he did last night, and then you see the numbers in that table and the MASSIVE disparity in defending shots at the rim, you call pointing out that disparity between Embiid and Jokic as a "childish" obsession"? Huh?

The RealGM GB has a freaking cottage industry of Jokic fanboys who start threads like "OMG - did you see that pass by Jokic last night?". It is exhausting. So, when REAL stats like this table shows the disparity in defensive impact between the two players, it is "childish" to point it out?

Never change, RealGM. Never change.

[bebopdeluxe]

The difference between Embiid and Jokic on this list is laughable.

Yup!!!!

You guys surely won't let go of any opportunities.

Why should we? You think the Jokic fanboys on the GB wouldn't trumpet the differential if it was the other way around? There would be THREADS devoted to it...

"Jokic - the REAL two-way MVP"

And you know this is true.

[EricAnderson]

Have to give Philly credit. Tobias Harris and PJ Tucker have been leading them these last few games with tremendous toughness. They're just taking advantage of how soft Boston is and exposing them for trading their defensive edge edge for volume three-point shooting...

If Boston loses this series they basically have to blow it up.

Why? They're pretty young with all their future picks after this one with them (one swap owed to SAS)...

Why are the Celtics permanently young and Tatum still 19 to people?

No they aren’t over the hill but Horford is 37 Smart and Brogdon are 30 and Tatum and Brown are relatively young but not babies and in a few years will have been in the league double digit years

Every year people act like the Celtics roster is the 2011 Thunder lol

[bebopdeluxe]

as if we havent seen Embiid flail hit the floor a dozen times in a single game

I do not dispute that Embiid goes down a lot. However, there is a difference between Embiid going down with contact - incidental or not - and Smart flopping at the HINT of contact.

You do know this - right?

You suggesting Embiid doesn't fall or flail when there's only a hint of contact?

I never said that Embiid doesn't try to do anything to get to the line. My only point is that Smart is EVERY BIT the flopper and foul-baiter that Embiid is.

[nikster]

I do not dispute that Embiid goes down a lot. However, there is a difference between Embiid going down with contact - incidental or not - and Smart flopping at the HINT of contact.

You do know this - right?

You suggesting Embiid doesn't fall or flail when there's only a hint of contact?

I never said that Embiid doesn't try to do anything to get to the line. My only point is that Smart is EVERY BIT the flopper and foul-baiter that Embiid is.

That's not really what bolded is saying.

Smart averages like 2 free throws per game lol. Maybe relative to their role they are equivalent, but Embiid is easily leading the league in flails per game

[nikster]

Have to give Philly credit. Tobias Harris and PJ Tucker have been leading them these last few games with tremendous toughness. They're just taking advantage of how soft Boston is and exposing them for trading their defensive edge edge for volume three-point shooting...

If Boston loses this series they basically have to blow it up.

Why? They're pretty young with all their future picks after this one with them (one swap owed to SAS)...

Why are the Celtics permanently young and Tatum still 19 to people?

No they aren’t over the hill but Horford is 37 Smart and Brogdon are 30 and Tatum and Brown are relatively young but not babies and in a few years will have been in the league double digit years

Every year people act like the Celtics roster is the 2011 Thunder lol

Most greats don't start peaking or winning rings until around 28 years old. Tatum is 24, Brown 26.

Smart just turned 29, him and brogdon at least have a few years of near peak level play left. Going into this season 6/8 of their top players were 28 and younger, and only Horford was older than 30.

[hippesthippo]

All I'm thinking about is how pivotal Robert and Grant Williams were to last years success. I'd add Peyton Prichard's name into the mix, but Brogdon is clearly in front of him.

I don't understand why the two players aren't getting more minutes. I'd take White out of the starting lineup in favor of Grant. Robert Williams should be getting 20 minutes a game off the bench at a minimum. The changes would put a more physical lineup on the floor.

Starters:
Al Horford
Grant Williams
Jayson Tatum
Jaylen Brown
Marcus Smart

Bench:
Robert Williams
Malcolm Brogdon
Derrick White
Peyton Prichard

Celtics fans?

[Mavrelous]

Have to give Philly credit. Tobias Harris and PJ Tucker have been leading them these last few games with tremendous toughness. They're just taking advantage of how soft Boston is and exposing them for trading their defensive edge edge for volume three-point shooting...

If Boston loses this series they basically have to blow it up.

Why? They're pretty young with all their future picks after this one with them (one swap owed to SAS)...

Why are the Celtics permanently young and Tatum still 19 to people?

No they aren’t over the hill but Horford is 37 Smart and Brogdon are 30 and Tatum and Brown are relatively young but not babies and in a few years will have been in the league double digit years

Every year people act like the Celtics roster is the 2011 Thunder lol

Their most important player are Tatum and Brown, 24 and 25, Smart and White are 29 and 28, everyone in their rotation is 30 or younger, except Horford, what are we doing here?

[bebopdeluxe]

You suggesting Embiid doesn't fall or flail when there's only a hint of contact?

I never said that Embiid doesn't try to do anything to get to the line. My only point is that Smart is EVERY BIT the flopper and foul-baiter that Embiid is.

That's not really what bolded is saying.

Smart averages like 2 free throws per game lol. Maybe relative to their role they are equivalent, but Embiid is easily leading the league in flails per game

Smart doesn't shoot as many free throws because the overwhelming majority of his flops are on the defensive end; he will only shoot free throws when the Sixers are in the penalty. Embiid goes to the line because the fouls are called while he is shooting.

There is a difference.

[nikster]

I never said that Embiid doesn't try to do anything to get to the line. My only point is that Smart is EVERY BIT the flopper and foul-baiter that Embiid is.

That's not really what bolded is saying.

Smart averages like 2 free throws per game lol. Maybe relative to their role they are equivalent, but Embiid is easily leading the league in flails per game

Smart doesn't shoot as many free throws because the overwhelming majority of his flops are on the defensive end; he will only shoot free throws when the Sixers are in the penalty. Embiid goes to the line because the fouls are called while he is shooting.

There is a difference.

Yeah Embiid still crushes him in volume

[Jadoogar]

Shoutout to the Sixers for making this a series, i thought they had no chance.
Also shame on the Celtics for allowing to get this bad. They are the more talented team, they should have won 1 of games 1 or 4.

If the Celtics lose, do they look to make a major change (ie. brown/tatum)? They are great players but this core has had 6 years together and definitely had some success but do they have enough to get over the hump? Personally i wouldn't move them because they are still so young but i would definitely gauge their value

[EricAnderson]

Why? They're pretty young with all their future picks after this one with them (one swap owed to SAS)...

Why are the Celtics permanently young and Tatum still 19 to people?

No they aren’t over the hill but Horford is 37 Smart and Brogdon are 30 and Tatum and Brown are relatively young but not babies and in a few years will have been in the league double digit years

Every year people act like the Celtics roster is the 2011 Thunder lol

Most greats don't start peaking or winning rings until around 28 years old. Tatum is 24, Brown 26.

Smart just turned 29, him and brogdon at least have a few years of near peak level play left. Going into this season 6/8 of their top players were 28 and younger, and only Horford was older than 30.

Sure but people act like they have an unlimited window

Windows are no longer that long in todays NBA unless you have a Lebron or Curry level player and with the new rules and it basically being a hardcap windows will be even shorter.

I’m not saying it’s over that would be stupid but things these last two years couldn’t have broken any better for them and you have to win when you get these chances.

You never know what’s gonna happen in the future. Other teams will get better maybe a heavy favorite emerges like always in the NBA. Maybe Brown wants to leave.. maybe with the new rules you lose key role players in a few years who knows.

You act like a title is inevitable for them

[bisme37]

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