Celtics 2023-24, Season Thread, (con't)

[Fencer reregistered]

Celts now have both the best home record and the best road record in the league.

I honestly thought they've had this for a while now. So, who has the best road record before this win?

Cleveland had had the best. But they've been having some losses, while the Cs are on an 8 game road win streak. I think the Thunder may have had the best road record at some point earlier.

When the Cs were 20-0 at home, their road record was barely better than .500. But I wouldn't be surprised to find that they'd done better on the road than at home this calendar year.

[zoyathedestroya]

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[Fencer reregistered]

Best record against the Western Conference by far is Minnesota's, at 27-8.

Next best, I believe, are:

Celtics 13-6
Cavs 12-6
Thunder 24-13

The Wolves' edge is big enough that "Yeah, but they don't have to play the Wolves" falls well short of explaining it as a single cause.

[bisme37]

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[keevsnick1]

Celtics 7 up in the loss column on the Cav's and 9 on the third place team means this thing is going to be over real soon. And there's still 25 games left. Going to be interesting to see how they balance resting vs keeping a rythm heading into the playoffs. I would still like to see our starting unit get real minutes together to keep the chemistry strong.

[bisme37]

Celtics 7 up in the loss column on the Cav's and 9 on the third place team means this thing is going to be over real soon. And there's still 25 games left. Going to be interesting to see how they balance resting vs keeping a rythm heading into the playoffs. I would still like to see our starting unit get real minutes together to keep the chemistry strong.

I think it was Sam Mitchell on NBATV who was talking about this a while back. Saying it's great to blow teams out and be able to rest your stars but at the same time once the playoffs start you want your stars conditioned to play big minutes without pooping out.

As a former coach he was saying the only way to be physically and mentally conditioned to play big minutes in tough playoff games is to play big minutes in the RS. Of course it's a balance because you don't want to wear guys out, but if our starters' minutes fall off in the last part of the RS it might hit them like a ton of bricks when the postseason starts.

[Fencer reregistered]

There are a couple of articles around the idea that Blake Griffin loved the Celtics, and vice-versa, but he prefers to stay with his kids. So I checked Wikipedia.

It turns out this his ex-fiance and baby mama is somebody named Brynn Cameron, who also has a kid with Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart. Her brother, Cameron Jordan, has kids with Tiger Woods' ex-wife. He had an interesting sports career himself, in that he played tight end one year in college, catching all of 16 passes, yet went on to be a Pro Bowler for the Browns.

Hah. He actually called off a wedding to her with one week to go, because she wouldn't sign a pre-nup.

https://www.tmz.com/2018/02/14/blake-griffin-dumped-brynn-cameron-wedding-prenup/

[Parliament10]

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[zoyathedestroya]

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[zoyathedestroya]

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[jinx8402]

Celtics 7 up in the loss column on the Cav's and 9 on the third place team means this thing is going to be over real soon. And there's still 25 games left. Going to be interesting to see how they balance resting vs keeping a rythm heading into the playoffs. I would still like to see our starting unit get real minutes together to keep the chemistry strong.

I think it was Sam Mitchell on NBATV who was talking about this a while back. Saying it's great to blow teams out and be able to rest your stars but at the same time once the playoffs start you want your stars conditioned to play big minutes without pooping out.

As a former coach he was saying the only way to be physically and mentally conditioned to play big minutes in tough playoff games is to play big minutes in the RS. Of course it's a balance because you don't want to wear guys out, but if our starters' minutes fall off in the last part of the RS it might hit them like a ton of bricks when the postseason starts.

I feel this was the reason Tatum played almost all the second half, except the last few minutes, of the NYK game. Especially with the two days off after, it was a good way to get Tatum those extended 2nd half minutes.

[bisme37]

Power Rankings...

#1
BOSTON CELTICS
Last Week:1
Record: 45-12

OffRtg: 121.2 (1) DefRtg: 110.7 (3) NetRtg: +10.5 (1) Pace: 98.8 (20)

The Celtics are running away with the league’s best record, having won eight straight games to give themselves a five-game cushion in the loss column over everybody else. Their .789 winning percentage would be the best mark in the last six seasons (since the 65-17, 2017-18 Rockets).

Three takeaways:

- Six of these eight straight wins have come against losing teams, but with the Wolves’ loss to Milwaukee last week and their win in New York, the Celtics now have the best record (23-11) in games played between the 18 teams that are currently over .500. They’ve scored slightly more efficiently in those 34 games (123.1 points per 100 possessions) than they have otherwise (121.1 per 100).

- Their 116 points on just 84 possessions (138.1 per 100) on Saturday was the most efficient offensive performance for a visiting team in Madison Square Garden in the last 15 seasons (since Jan. 14, 2009). It came with 30 points from Jaylen Brown, one of seven rotation players who’ve shot 50% or better over the winning streak.

- The win in New York was the slowest-paced game (regular season or playoffs) in the last seven seasons, in part because the Celtics had just seven turnovers. They’re 17-1 when they and their opponents have averaged 97 possessions per 48 minutes or fewer, with the one defeat being their two-point loss to the Nuggets.

The win in New York began a stretch of seven straight games against that currently over .500 group. Two of those 11 losses have come against the Sixers and Warriors, who will be in Boston this week. The other game in their three-game homestand (amid a road-heavy, six-week stretch) is against the team — Dallas — that had a seven-game win streak before Sunday.

Week 19: vs. PHI, vs. DAL, vs. GSW

2 Wolves
3 Thunder
4 Clippers
5 Nuggets

https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2023-24-week-19?lid=lr1ltdy5zjta&cid=nba%3Adynpage%3Aown%3Aemail%3Adaily%3Alink%3Aeg%3Anl%3Aeng%3At-crm%3AUS%3Aen%3A20240227:DAILY_NEWSLETTER%3A&lctg=60131c9357e5b245cceedcd4

[shackles10]

Power Rankings...

#1
BOSTON CELTICS
Last Week:1
Record: 45-12

OffRtg: 121.2 (1) DefRtg: 110.7 (3) NetRtg: +10.5 (1) Pace: 98.8 (20)

The Celtics are running away with the league’s best record, having won eight straight games to give themselves a five-game cushion in the loss column over everybody else. Their .789 winning percentage would be the best mark in the last six seasons (since the 65-17, 2017-18 Rockets).

Three takeaways:

- Six of these eight straight wins have come against losing teams, but with the Wolves’ loss to Milwaukee last week and their win in New York, the Celtics now have the best record (23-11) in games played between the 18 teams that are currently over .500. They’ve scored slightly more efficiently in those 34 games (123.1 points per 100 possessions) than they have otherwise (121.1 per 100).

- Their 116 points on just 84 possessions (138.1 per 100) on Saturday was the most efficient offensive performance for a visiting team in Madison Square Garden in the last 15 seasons (since Jan. 14, 2009). It came with 30 points from Jaylen Brown, one of seven rotation players who’ve shot 50% or better over the winning streak.

- The win in New York was the slowest-paced game (regular season or playoffs) in the last seven seasons, in part because the Celtics had just seven turnovers. They’re 17-1 when they and their opponents have averaged 97 possessions per 48 minutes or fewer, with the one defeat being their two-point loss to the Nuggets.

The win in New York began a stretch of seven straight games against that currently over .500 group. Two of those 11 losses have come against the Sixers and Warriors, who will be in Boston this week. The other game in their three-game homestand (amid a road-heavy, six-week stretch) is against the team — Dallas — that had a seven-game win streak before Sunday.

Week 19: vs. PHI, vs. DAL, vs. GSW

2 Wolves
3 Thunder
4 Clippers
5 Nuggets

https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2023-24-week-19?lid=lr1ltdy5zjta&cid=nba%3Adynpage%3Aown%3Aemail%3Adaily%3Alink%3Aeg%3Anl%3Aeng%3At-crm%3AUS%3Aen%3A20240227:DAILY_NEWSLETTER%3A&lctg=60131c9357e5b245cceedcd4

I often wish we'd play faster, but we all know the playoffs slow down pace so our record and success in those type of games during the regular season really speaks well for our playoff hopes imo. We won't be some team who can't find offense once the game slows down in April-June.

[Memokerobi]

With essentially an 8 game lead over the Cavs due to the tie break, the C’s should start trimming the starters minutes sans Porzingis who is appropriately managed. Older guys like Horford and Jrue shouldn’t be playing 30 minutes a night until the playoffs. It’s a perfect time to get some bench guys real minutes and see who we can trust in the POs: PP, Hauser, Tillman, Kornet, Springer should all be given expanded roles maybe even close with them especially during rest games for the core 6. I’m thinking Tillman’s defensive versatility against elite bigs could be huge (Jokic, Giannis, Bam, etc) but we need to seek him out there in real minutes.

I think that will start after we finish this tough stretch of games, we will play some playoff-like games in the next couple weeks which is good

[zoyathedestroya]

Teams making 16+ threes per game in a season:
• Jazz, 2020-21: 16.7 3FGs/game, 38.9%
• Rockets, 2018-19: 16.1 3FGs/game, 35.6%
• Dubs, 2022-23: 16.6 3FGs/game, 38.5%
• Celtics, 2022-23: 16.0 3FGs/game, 37.7%
• Celtics, 2023-24: 16.1 3FGs/game, 38.2%

[Larry_Russell]

Just want to point something out that sometimes posters forget.

We currently have the best 2-way backcourt in the NBA, imo. Jrue and White have been amazing on both ends, making top of the league advanced stats in certain categories (corner threes, stocks from guards, etc)

We have the league leader in post up efficiency, who is also among the league leaders in rim protection, who is also making threes at a high%, and is just a hyper efficient player scoring 20ppg on 12.5 shots

We have a hungry bench who knows their rolls.
Pritchard pushed paces and is a great shooter
Hauser is a deadly shooter
Brissett brings energy and hustle
Horford is great
etc
etc

And we have an allstar wing, who while is indeed flawed, has really cut down on all the things that has driven everyone crazy and has become so much better at defense, taking care of ball and letting game come to him.

And we have a superstar who is really starting to round into a form that he should be able to sustain for years and years. Truly becoming elite at everything and is showing a new level of maturity that is gamechanging.


I do love this team

[Smart2Nesmith43]

I often wish we'd play faster, but we all know the playoffs slow down pace so our record and success in those type of games during the regular season really speaks well for our playoff hopes imo. We won't be some team who can't find offense once the game slows down in April-June.

Pace is a flawed metric. Good defensive teams (like the Celtics) force their opponents to use up a bigger share of the shot clock and that reduces the number of possessions in the game. As a result it makes them appear as slow paced regardless of how fast they actually play on the offensive end.

On the other end of the spectrum, the three teams with the highest pace are the Wizards, Pacers and Hawks and they are all bottom 5 defensive teams. For what it's worth the Celtics are middle of the pack in time of possession which is a better reflection of how fast/slow a team plays.

[GoCeltics123]

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[zoyathedestroya]

If there is justice in this world, Joe Mazzulla should win his 3rd Coach of the Month award. Celtics were 1st in win %, net rating, offensive rating, and TS% and 3rd in defense in February. They're coming into March with a league-wide, season-best 9-game win streak.

[Fencer reregistered]

So Holiday and Tatum seem set for Team USA. Brown and White unlikely to be selected, except perhaps in injury-replacement scenarios.

What about Porzingis? Will Latvia play in the Olympics, or a qualifying tournament, or whatever?

And am I right to assume Horford/DR is not an Olympics possibility?