Game Thread – Lakers @ Celtics – 7:30PM, Thurs, Feb. 1, 2024

[PierceFan4ever]

It's a bit depressing watching guys like Booker, Embiid, KAT, and Luka drop 60+ when Tatum hasn't even seen 50 since last season.

Forget 50. Tatum would be lucky to score 40 again. Man shot is all over the place, takes quarter off, weak drive attempts, gets scared when defenders get physical with him.

Was sooo much better last year.

People can rant about Brown, Mazzulla, Holiday, the bench or whoever but if Jayson Tatum doesn’t start lifting his game to an MVP like level this team will be next to no chance in the playoffs.

Yup. All this talk being stacked and talented is an excuse for Tatum not playing at the level he was last season. Not even just last season, Tatum in the second half of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 are all better than 2024 Tatum. I can probably only count a handful of game this season where he looked dominant. He looks slower out there.

[Bird84]

This team isn't hanging any banners anytime soon.
Those that think they're close are as delusional as Buffalo Bills fans.

It's win a chip or shut up time. Don't really care about this loss. It just seems the same bad habits will resurface in the playoffs like always.

[snowman]

I didn't say Brown draws more fouls. My point was Tatum would draw more if he didn't try to finesse everything. I brought Brown's name up because of the way he misses the first one consistently.

[KillahGhostface]

I didn't say Brown draws more fouls. My point was Tatum would draw more if he didn't try to finesse everything. I brought Brown's name up because of the way he misses the first one consistently.

Tatum takes the 9th most FT’s per game in the league lmao, and is one of the best finishers in the league.

So you’re saying he should not try making the shots, and instead worry about drawing fouls?

[TSmith0197]

This game is ANOTHeR strong indicator that something is WRoNG

I’m just as mad about the lost but this is a wild take. This was just a team that thought they could take it easy and cruise to a win against a Lakers team without Bron & AD. Every NBA team has had these weird loses.

[Bill Lumbergh]

This game is ANOTHeR strong indicator that something is WRoNG

The HC's job is to have his guys ready to play ...this team's mental toughness is a serious problem

It's time for Brad or Ownership to step in

They got tired of Brad's voice, but he was a much, much better coach than Joe will ever be.

[Calinks]

One really bad loss. TNT: "This is why they aren't ready to be champions." I mean come on, everybody has a horrendous game now and then.

[TheMartian]

All I’ve said is we will find out about this team in the playoffs.

They have two different starters to last season.

You can rant all you like until then but that’s the reality.

Mazzulla doesn’t come close to Adrian Griffen in terms of coaching ineptness

You need to watch more ball if you actually need to see them play in the playoffs to realize they will struggle BADLY. This 3pt offense isn’t sustainable against elite competition, which is why we are under .500 against the top teams. The defense is also not as good as it looks. The bench is crap. Simple issues to see.

Mazzula isn’t close to Griffen? And you say that based on what exactly? Both guys were separated in the standings by 3 wins, yet one has a lot more two way talent in his hands.

I watch plenty of ball.

Every team has its flaws. There’s not an elite team in the NBA that will win in the playoffs if they can’t take and make a lot of 3s. That’s how the NBA works these days.

I’ve asked you like 50 times what your alternative to shooting 3s is.

Sounds like someone hasn’t watched much of the Bucks if you think Griffen and Mazzulla are comparable. Griffen was coaching an absolute pathetic defence that was consistently abused game after game. Giannis and Lopez out of position, dumb switches etc. He has two offensive cheat codes in Dame and Giannis yet they weren’t working well together. Meanwhile we have one of the best offences and defences in the league.

The Bucks have Giannis and Dame, if you think the Celtics should somehow be many more games in front of the Bucks then you really need to lower those ridiculous expectations

How much of a factor is this team having that much talent vs how they are being coached, being the reason why they are at the top of the league on offense and defense?

I hate to agree with Barkley on this, but I truly feel this team just wins on talent in most games, and Joe is just lucky to have this much talent on his roster. But mental toughness? Effort on defense? Nah.

[Triple7]

Ass of shame

[Triple7]

Tatum isn't close to a top 5 player.

He’s actually on 6th-8th range. Definitely not above SGA

[Fierce1]

If JT makes 1st team All-NBA this season then he will be top 5 for 3 straight seasons.

[GrandTheftRondo]

You need to watch more ball if you actually need to see them play in the playoffs to realize they will struggle BADLY. This 3pt offense isn’t sustainable against elite competition, which is why we are under .500 against the top teams. The defense is also not as good as it looks. The bench is crap. Simple issues to see.

Mazzula isn’t close to Griffen? And you say that based on what exactly? Both guys were separated in the standings by 3 wins, yet one has a lot more two way talent in his hands.

I watch plenty of ball.

Every team has its flaws. There’s not an elite team in the NBA that will win in the playoffs if they can’t take and make a lot of 3s. That’s how the NBA works these days.

I’ve asked you like 50 times what your alternative to shooting 3s is.

Sounds like someone hasn’t watched much of the Bucks if you think Griffen and Mazzulla are comparable. Griffen was coaching an absolute pathetic defence that was consistently abused game after game. Giannis and Lopez out of position, dumb switches etc. He has two offensive cheat codes in Dame and Giannis yet they weren’t working well together. Meanwhile we have one of the best offences and defences in the league.

The Bucks have Giannis and Dame, if you think the Celtics should somehow be many more games in front of the Bucks then you really need to lower those ridiculous expectations

How much of a factor is this team having that much talent vs how they are being coached, being the reason why they are at the top of the league on offense and defense?

I hate to agree with Barkley on this, but I truly feel this team just wins on talent in most games, and Joe is just lucky to have this much talent on his roster. But mental toughness? Effort on defense? Nah.

The point is Mazzulla has at least been smart enough to not get in the way like Griffen did.

Griffen had his two best defenders running out to half court and offensively had Giannis and Dame out of sync.

Griffen was absolutely awful. You can make criticisms of Mazzulla without comparing him to Griffen

[BRUNiNHO91]

All I’ve said is we will find out about this team in the playoffs.

They have two different starters to last season.

You can rant all you like until then but that’s the reality.

Mazzulla doesn’t come close to Adrian Griffen in terms of coaching ineptness

You need to watch more ball if you actually need to see them play in the playoffs to realize they will struggle BADLY. This 3pt offense isn’t sustainable against elite competition, which is why we are under .500 against the top teams. The defense is also not as good as it looks. The bench is crap. Simple issues to see.

Mazzula isn’t close to Griffen? And you say that based on what exactly? Both guys were separated in the standings by 3 wins, yet one has a lot more two way talent in his hands.

I watch plenty of ball.

Every team has its flaws. There’s not an elite team in the NBA that will win in the playoffs if they can’t take and make a lot of 3s. That’s how the NBA works these days.

I’ve asked you like 50 times what your alternative to shooting 3s is.

Sounds like someone hasn’t watched much of the Bucks if you think Griffen and Mazzulla are comparable. Griffen was coaching an absolute pathetic defence that was consistently abused game after game. Giannis and Lopez out of position, dumb switches etc. He has two offensive cheat codes in Dame and Giannis yet they weren’t working well together. Meanwhile we have one of the best offences and defences in the league.

The Bucks have Giannis and Dame, if you think the Celtics should somehow be many more games in front of the Bucks then you really need to lower those ridiculous expectations

Denver won two games in the finals last year making 5 three point shots only. Believe it or not there are other ways to win the game, but you know because you watch plenty of ball, right?

I’ve answered 50 times that the problem isn’t the three ball itself, the problem is that’s all we have and you saw it again today. How many times will you need to see them **** down their pants fishing for 3’s before you get it? It’s lazy basketball. Don’t even try and say Porzingis post ups are the difference because we couldn’t even post him on Hachimura today.

Griffen also doesn’t have 10% of the defensive potential that Joe has in his roster. That’s not his fault. My point was not that we should have a lot more wins than them, my point was one team realized their coach ain’t **** regardless of his win total 40 games into his career while the other thinks this proven idiot for two seasons now will get them somewhere because of his fraud ass win total.

Im done having these back and forth debates with you over this coach. You want to wait til the playoffs AGAIN when this dude was set for failure by January of last year, then fine. Im all set with him. He never even deserved the job. Just an awful, lazy hire by this stupid front office.

[Rangeman]

I get scared whenever JT or JB has the ball. Low BbIq even with athleticism challenges both of them to the extreme.

[flintsky21]

In the end, despite the additions of KP and Jrue, this team still pretty much lives and dies by the 3. And in NBA history, the only team to have really won with that style was Golden State. Sure it's gonna win you lots of games, but when the shots aren't falling, there's no Plan B. The Jays combine for most 3pt attempts/game between 2 best players among elite teams. Boston will have to prove that they can replicate Golden State's path to the title, with the difference that their 2 best players are average 3 pt shooters at best while Golden State had the best shooting duo all time.

[snowman]

I didn't say Brown draws more fouls. My point was Tatum would draw more if he didn't try to finesse everything. I brought Brown's name up because of the way he misses the first one consistently.

Tatum takes the 9th most FT’s per game in the league lmao, and is one of the best finishers in the league.

So you’re saying he should not try making the shots, and instead worry about drawing fouls?

No, I'm saying that people talk about how strong he is, and yet he still shy's away fromm contact using finesse shots then powering through on most drives. However, considering the amount of offensive foul calls he gets whistled for I can see why he does it.