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[HurricaneKid]

I think that's definitely the biggest concern. I do think Mobley has gotten a little better, but its around the margins. He's still not a player you can count on offensively and is a good defender but is not anywhere near the all-defense type anchor that you'd hoped he'd start to look like at this point.

But looking at just this season, 3 weeks ago a Cavs fan could very reasonably think that they've got a pretty good path to the ECF. Embiid is out for Philly, Miami's not playing well (they had a 7 game losing streak prior to getting back on track recently), the Bucks are terrible defensively and Strus has fixed their 5th starter problem they had with the Knicks. The Embiid part of that is unchanged but Miami now looks like they're back on track, the Bucks defense has picked up and with the way the Cavs have played post All Star break they look a lot more like they're going to have another 1st round exit than an ECF team.

You guys need to take a look at the Cavs w/ Mitchell.

He has missed a few games to illness and they are terrible without him. They are still 20-2 in their last 22 games with Mitchell.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mitchdo01/gamelog/2024

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[DingleJerry]

I think that's definitely the biggest concern. I do think Mobley has gotten a little better, but its around the margins. He's still not a player you can count on offensively and is a good defender but is not anywhere near the all-defense type anchor that you'd hoped he'd start to look like at this point.

But looking at just this season, 3 weeks ago a Cavs fan could very reasonably think that they've got a pretty good path to the ECF. Embiid is out for Philly, Miami's not playing well (they had a 7 game losing streak prior to getting back on track recently), the Bucks are terrible defensively and Strus has fixed their 5th starter problem they had with the Knicks. The Embiid part of that is unchanged but Miami now looks like they're back on track, the Bucks defense has picked up and with the way the Cavs have played post All Star break they look a lot more like they're going to have another 1st round exit than an ECF team.

You guys need to take a look at the Cavs w/ Mitchell.

He has missed a few games to illness and they are terrible without him. They are still 20-2 in their last 22 games with Mitchell.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mitchdo01/gamelog/2024

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No way, he's a chucker who doesn't play D

[skbucks1985]

I think that's definitely the biggest concern. I do think Mobley has gotten a little better, but its around the margins. He's still not a player you can count on offensively and is a good defender but is not anywhere near the all-defense type anchor that you'd hoped he'd start to look like at this point.

But looking at just this season, 3 weeks ago a Cavs fan could very reasonably think that they've got a pretty good path to the ECF. Embiid is out for Philly, Miami's not playing well (they had a 7 game losing streak prior to getting back on track recently), the Bucks are terrible defensively and Strus has fixed their 5th starter problem they had with the Knicks. The Embiid part of that is unchanged but Miami now looks like they're back on track, the Bucks defense has picked up and with the way the Cavs have played post All Star break they look a lot more like they're going to have another 1st round exit than an ECF team.

You guys need to take a look at the Cavs w/ Mitchell.

He has missed a few games to illness and they are terrible without him. They are still 20-2 in their last 22 games with Mitchell.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mitchdo01/gamelog/2024

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Post ASB, the Cavs are 3-4 and 2-1 in games Mitchell played and obviously would be 2-5 and 1-2 if it weren't for one of the greatest buzzer beaters of all time. I'll give the Cavs a pass on the loss to Orlando and even though Philly has a pretty significant absence of their own, I'll give them a pass on that one as it was a home/road b2b. But I'm less apt to give a pass to the Bulls loss and much less of the Knicks loss. Mitchell played in the Bulls loss and played heavy minutes, but it was a home/road b2b. But the Knicks loss, Mitchell didn't play but neither did OG, Randle and Brunson played 47 seconds.

I will acknowledge that I didn't watch much of their win streak, other than the Bucks games, so maybe their caliber of play has been pretty consistent. But the team I've seen post-ASB, looks like a team that I think is more unlikely than not to not win a playoff series whereas a few weeks ago I think a lot of people probably saw them as an ECF team.

[MickeyDavis]

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[HurricaneKid]

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I think this gives us a really nice chance to come out of our hell week, and indeed the remainder of the season, ahead of them for the 2. Which I had all but given up on. I think this is an indication they are going to rest him a but for the playoffs (though after these 3 games I think he can only miss 1 more and be All NBA eligible)

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[Jez2983]

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From a medical perspective, I could compare this to a hail mary pass...

[Jez2983]

Nurkic's 57 games in a reg season are his highest since 18/19, and his 4th highest in his 11-year career.

[Turk Nowitzki]

Everything that is wrong with the NBA media on full display. Not even all the way through his rookie season and they are trying to push a bs narrative with Wemby. Instead of celebrating how good he is and framing it around how great of a franchise building block he is for the Spurs we get this. It's embarassing.

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[jute2003]

Everything that is wrong with the NBA media on full display. Not even all the way through his rookie season and they are trying to push a bs narrative with Wemby. Instead of celebrating how good he is and framing it around how great of a franchise building block he is for the Spurs we get this. It's embarassing.

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Not even one season. They just can't help themselves.

[Licensed to Il]

I honestly think if the NBA recognized each team as an entity with worldwide fans, as opposed to a localized urban area, the product (league) would be much stronger. For example, the Spurs fans are more than their Texas metropolitan region… with Wemby (and Tony Parker) they include most of France (a whole damn country). For some reason that is unknown and wonderful half of Australia loves the Bucks. We got Greece. Etc. So many outside of Colorado love and follow Jokic.

NBA media has to stop with this big market bias. It’s not like all the LA and NY transports even love those teams, if they are Serbian or Latino or from the Midwest many already have other team loyalties. Silver needs to find a way to educate the media that making every team seem credible and compelling makes for a much better product than a four team league (Knicks, Bulls, Lakers, Clips).

[Matches Malone]

NBA media more now than ever needs a disruptive entity to take away from all the ESPN slop that's peddled our way and trickled into other NBA products. They should try and revamp NBATV or something. NFL Network proved you can still have fun on air but don't need to resort to sensationalized BS 24/7 to make it entertaining. There needs to be a better balance of entertainment and legitimate dialogue on the games, but they'd rather focus on driving players to bigger/warmer markets for their own selfish reasons like SAS not having to come here for the finals because for whatever reason these people think we're Antarctica 12 months a year...

[emunney]

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Oh ****. I wouldn't expect him to be back after 3 games.

[emunney]

Everything that is wrong with the NBA media on full display. Not even all the way through his rookie season and they are trying to push a bs narrative with Wemby. Instead of celebrating how good he is and framing it around how great of a franchise building block he is for the Spurs we get this. It's embarassing.

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Not even one season. They just can't help themselves.

My advice to Wemby would be to get better. Spurs will be fine once he does. Not saying he's bad, but he's definitely not "force his way out of town, it's impossible that they're not able to build a good team around him" good.

[LUKE23]

Read an interesting article in The Athletic yesterday about trying to stop Boston's offense. It essentially summarized with data that packing the paint and forcing them to shoot 3's is a death sentence, since their entire rotation can hit them at volume and solid efficiency. All the teams that have given them trouble this year are the teams that allow low 3-point attempts as a percentage of overall attempts.

I was just thinking that in our matchup with them, with our strength being paint D moreso than perimeter D (although it has improved under Doc), we may need to switch some things up. Playing a zone won't work against them and Lopez to me is a terrible matchup against the Celtics as well assuming Porzingis is healthy. Unless the play is to blitz everyone but Porzingis off the 3 point line and keep Lopez in the drop for help and just hope he and/or Horford aren't on fire from 3.

I just don't like that matchup for us. GA should have an absolute field day but we don't match up well with them when they are on offense and they also have Jrue and White to hound Dame.

[Gant]

Read an interesting article in The Athletic yesterday about trying to stop Boston's offense. It essentially summarized with data that packing the paint and forcing them to shoot 3's is a death sentence, since their entire rotation can hit them at volume and solid efficiency. All the teams that have given them trouble this year are the teams that allow low 3-point attempts as a percentage of overall attempts.

I was just thinking that in our matchup with them, with our strength being paint D moreso than perimeter D (although it has improved under Doc), we may need to switch some things up. Playing a zone won't work against them and Lopez to me is a terrible matchup against the Celtics as well assuming Porzingis is healthy. Unless the play is to blitz everyone but Porzingis off the 3 point line and keep Lopez in the drop for help and just hope he and/or Horford aren't on fire from 3.

I just don't like that matchup for us. GA should have an absolute field day but we don't match up well with them when they are on offense and they also have Jrue and White to hound Dame.

That's an interesting post. Yeah, Giannis is a nightmare for Boston or any other opponent.

Here's some related stats: In wins the Celtics have averaged 42.4 three point attempts per game. In losses the Celtics have averaged 42.2 three point attempts per game.

3 point percentage in wins: 40.4%. 3 point percentage in losses: 31.4%. They average about four more 3 point makes in wins.


And this from nba.com's new power ranking: "Boston is 30-2 when it’s shot the league average or better from 3-point range. But it also has the league’s best record (18-10) when it’s shot worse than the league average."

The Bucks climb three spots to 6th: https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2023-24-week-20

[LUKE23]

That's an interesting post. Yeah, Giannis is a nightmare for Boston or any other opponent.

Here's some related stats: In wins the Celtics have averaged 42.4 three point attempts per game. In losses the Celtics have averaged 42.2 three point attempts per game.

3 point percentage in wins: 40.4%. 3 point percentage in losses: 31.4%. They average about four more 3 point makes in wins.


And this from nba.com's new power ranking: "Boston is 30-2 when it’s shot the league average or better from 3-point range. But it also has the league’s best record (18-10) when it’s shot worse than the league average."

The Bucks climb three spots to 6th: https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2023-24-week-20

So basically, nobody has been able to keep them off the 3 point line.

[Gant]

That's an interesting post. Yeah, Giannis is a nightmare for Boston or any other opponent.

Here's some related stats: In wins the Celtics have averaged 42.4 three point attempts per game. In losses the Celtics have averaged 42.2 three point attempts per game.

3 point percentage in wins: 40.4%. 3 point percentage in losses: 31.4%. They average about four more 3 point makes in wins.


And this from nba.com's new power ranking: "Boston is 30-2 when it’s shot the league average or better from 3-point range. But it also has the league’s best record (18-10) when it’s shot worse than the league average."

The Bucks climb three spots to 6th: https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2023-24-week-20

So basically, nobody has been able to keep them off the 3 point line.

In the recent Philly game, the Sixers came in determined to take away the long ball and overplayed the three point line. This was successful insofar as The Celtics only took 22 threes and hit a season low 5. That's 22.7%. But, Boston took advantage, went relentlessly inside, got fouled and went to the line a ton, and won by 18. Mazzulla's been experimenting with different things lately.

Embiid didn't play though. I'm sure a healthy stronger Sixer team would do better, though with Embiid in the paint, the Celtics would have an open three point shooter somewhere.

[SupremeHustle]

Boston will be a tough out. I think they're winning the whole shebang. I like being the underdog if we get the chance to play them in the playoffs.

[tedbrogen]

It’s the Celtics year. If they don’t win, biggest choke job since the Pats lost their undefeated season. If the somehow lost a playoff series to Doc, even bigger choke.

[MiltownMadness]

Ya Celtics have it all but locked up Can't see JT and JB losing a playoff series