EC FINALS, Gm 1 – Pacers @ Celtics – 8:00PM, Tues, May 21, 2024

[keevsnick1]

Kristaps is very good. They will need him to win a Finals series against any of the 4 teams left in the West, but they should beat either the Pacers or what's left of the Knicks without him. And honestly, it shouldn't really go more than 5.

The Pacer's have enough offense to win a game, MAYBE two, by getting hot shooting. But they don't really have any hope of stopping the C's offense even without KP. JB and JT will bully the Pacers defenders.

The Knicks would have been an interesting matchup two weeks ago when Robinson, OG, and Hart were all healthy, but now they are down to like 3.5 actual playoff caliber players. They could win one by shear hustle for offensive rebounds, but that's not a recipe for actually winning a full series against a far superior opponent.

Game 4 of the ECF would be exactly 4 weeks post KP injury. In an ideal scenario KP can get back by then and get a game or two of playoff basketball under his belt. The C's then wrap it up in 5 and get a full 8 days of rest before the NBA finals start.

This is as ideal of a playoff run as the C's will ever get. They've gotten plenty of rest, remained healthy outside of KP, and every other team is either incredibly injured or playing long grueling series. Or both.

Don't blow it Celtics.

[Parliament10]

Read on Twitter

[jfs1000d]

Hope no one is counting on a Game 2 win. Celtics in 5.

lol. Trust me, it counts.


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[zoyathedestroya]

Remaining teams and starting five playoff experience (by minutes):
• BOS: 18,543 mins.
• NYK: 5,180 mins.
• IND: 4,688 mins.
• DAL: 6,073 mins.
• DEN: 11,020 mins.
• MIN: 7,356 mins.

Horford, who became the 25th player in NBA history to exceed 6,000 career playoff minutes during the Cavs series, has more playoff experience than the remaining East teams' starting fives. Celtics have the top 3 players with most playoff experience among all remaining starters -- Horford, Tatum, Brown.

The only players with 6K+ career playoff minutes and no NBA title are Stockton, Malone, and Horford (for now).

[chrisab123]

I just hope to f*cking god that there's nobody, even a fringe bench player to be injured on the opposing team so it "counts"

No Middleton so it won't count.

No Giannis either. We're going to have to do these playoffs over.

[Fierce1]

Cs basically have the same team from last season if KP is unavailable.

The difference is Jrue replacing Marcus Smart.

So far we're getting the same solid defense, better shooting, and more stability from Jrue.

[Fantaxp7]

So are we all rooting for the Knicks today? I think they are the easier match up.

[Triple7]

So are we all rooting for the Knicks today? I think they are the easier match up.

The knick are banged up, but they play hard. Plus they have a closer in brunson. If OG and Hart doesn’t play, then yes. I think both plays the next round. They play hard even when undermanned. Much like what the heat are last season. The pacers doesn’t have a closer, and doesn’t play defense. They beat us in the regular season in the playin, with Haliburton having an anomaly of a game. and the next one without JT, and stupid over turn call on Jaylen. Anyways, we should beat both if we don’t play stupid ball.
Give me the pacers. Knicks fans are annoying as hell. Lol.

[Fierce1]

Cs will be fine either way.

The real enemy is their own selves.

[tfribs45]

Cs basically have the same team from last season if KP is unavailable.

The difference is Jrue replacing Marcus Smart.

So far we're getting the same solid defense, better shooting, and more stability from Jrue.

Can’t compare stats, a lot of what Smart did wouldnt end up on the sheets. Love him or hate him , he was a dawg! That being said we were lucky Jrue fell on our lap. Not sure where this squad would be without Cobra and Jrue

[Fantaxp7]

So are we all rooting for the Knicks today? I think they are the easier match up.

The knick are banged up, but they play hard. Plus they have a closer in brunson. If OG and Hart doesn’t play, then yes. I think both plays the next round. They play hard even when undermanned. Much like what the heat are last season. The pacers doesn’t have a closer, and doesn’t play defense. They beat us in the regular season in the playin, with Haliburton having an anomaly of a game. and the next one without JT, and stupid over turn call on Jaylen. Anyways, we should beat both if we don’t play stupid ball.
Give me the pacers. Knicks fans are annoying as hell. Lol.

I'm torn now I suppose I wasn't thinking if their guys return from injury. It may be a good ramp up to a real time in the finals though.

Either match up we should win in 5.

[Parliament10]

So are we all rooting for the Knicks today? I think they are the easier match up.

The knick are banged up, but they play hard. Plus they have a closer in brunson. If OG and Hart doesn’t play, then yes. I think both plays the next round. They play hard even when undermanned. Much like what the heat are last season. The pacers doesn’t have a closer, and doesn’t play defense. They beat us in the regular season in the playin, with Haliburton having an anomaly of a game. and the next one without JT, and stupid over turn call on Jaylen. Anyways, we should beat both if we don’t play stupid ball.
Give me the pacers. Knicks fans are annoying as hell. Lol.

I'm torn now I suppose I wasn't thinking if their guys return from injury. It may be a good ramp up to a real time in the finals though.

Either match up we should win in 5.

Read on Twitter

[tfribs45]

The knick are banged up, but they play hard. Plus they have a closer in brunson. If OG and Hart doesn’t play, then yes. I think both plays the next round. They play hard even when undermanned. Much like what the heat are last season. The pacers doesn’t have a closer, and doesn’t play defense. They beat us in the regular season in the playin, with Haliburton having an anomaly of a game. and the next one without JT, and stupid over turn call on Jaylen. Anyways, we should beat both if we don’t play stupid ball.
Give me the pacers. Knicks fans are annoying as hell. Lol.

I'm torn now I suppose I wasn't thinking if their guys return from injury. It may be a good ramp up to a real time in the finals though.

Either match up we should win in 5.

Read on Twitter

NY and Boston would be epic, plus it would help take away the sting from the Bruins loss and Rangers win! ☘️ Go C’s!

[playa-hater]

NYK and Indy are both so beatable, but I am looking at it differently. With Indy, the only player I fear is Nesmith.. Not for his game, but rather for his reckless style that may lead to a Boston player getting injured.. For the NYK, it's basically... Everyone...

So I vote Indy..

[Fierce1]

Cs basically have the same team from last season if KP is unavailable.

The difference is Jrue replacing Marcus Smart.

So far we're getting the same solid defense, better shooting, and more stability from Jrue.

Can’t compare stats, a lot of what Smart did wouldnt end up on the sheets. Love him or hate him , he was a dawg! That being said we were lucky Jrue fell on our lap. Not sure where this squad would be without Cobra and Jrue

What will also not show on the stat sheet is how opposing coaches will intentionally leave Smart open at the 3pt line.

Right now you just can't do that with Jrue.

[Triple7]

So are we all rooting for the Knicks today? I think they are the easier match up.

The knick are banged up, but they play hard. Plus they have a closer in brunson. If OG and Hart doesn’t play, then yes. I think both plays the next round. They play hard even when undermanned. Much like what the heat are last season. The pacers doesn’t have a closer, and doesn’t play defense. They beat us in the regular season in the playin, with Haliburton having an anomaly of a game. and the next one without JT, and stupid over turn call on Jaylen. Anyways, we should beat both if we don’t play stupid ball.
Give me the pacers. Knicks fans are annoying as hell. Lol.

I'm torn now I suppose I wasn't thinking if their guys return from injury. It may be a good ramp up to a real time in the finals though.

Either match up we should win in 5.

I’m telling you the pacers needs to blow out the knicks for them to win. The nba would do its best for the knicks to advance. No storyline for the pacers sadly. Brunson would get all the calls.

[lon3lytoaster]

The knick are banged up, but they play hard. Plus they have a closer in brunson. If OG and Hart doesn’t play, then yes. I think both plays the next round. They play hard even when undermanned. Much like what the heat are last season. The pacers doesn’t have a closer, and doesn’t play defense. They beat us in the regular season in the playin, with Haliburton having an anomaly of a game. and the next one without JT, and stupid over turn call on Jaylen. Anyways, we should beat both if we don’t play stupid ball.
Give me the pacers. Knicks fans are annoying as hell. Lol.

I'm torn now I suppose I wasn't thinking if their guys return from injury. It may be a good ramp up to a real time in the finals though.

Either match up we should win in 5.

Read on Twitter

My gut says New York, brain sort of says Indy but they’ve defied conventional logic before.. in both hood and bad ways.

I don’t think we’ll see much defense either way this afternoon. Indy is so inconsistent on that front, and a lot of it just comes from chaotic energy when they are playing well on that front and NY is just gassed.

Think a lot depends on if Annuoby plays. Trying to re-integrate him, plus having Hart beat up could end up not going in their favor.

Bet slip wants Indy, but thinking the lights are too bright for them today.

[zoyathedestroya]

I pick New York. Need to inject some life into our so far ho-hum business-like playoff run. MSG crowd, Knicks online fans, it being a huge market, the BOS-NY "rivalry", media talking about it/siding with NYK might amp up the Celtics play esp the effort/hustle/defense part. Good prep for what's to come in the Finals. While I do want the easiest path, we still need to be challenged a bit. Pacers will be healthier though. In the end, am hoping we're still capable of raising our play and of finding that next gear(s).

[bisme37]

Remaining teams and starting five playoff experience (by minutes):
• BOS: 18,543 mins.
• NYK: 5,180 mins.
• IND: 4,688 mins.
• DAL: 6,073 mins.
• DEN: 11,020 mins.
• MIN: 7,356 mins.

Horford, who became the 25th player in NBA history to exceed 6,000 career playoff minutes during the Cavs series, has more playoff experience than the remaining East teams' starting fives. Celtics have the top 3 players with most playoff experience among all remaining starters -- Horford, Tatum, Brown.

The only players with 6K+ career playoff minutes and no NBA title are Stockton, Malone, and Horford (for now).

Udonis Haslem says the Celtics aren't battle tested though.

[zoyathedestroya]

Remaining teams and starting five playoff experience (by minutes):
• BOS: 18,543 mins.
• NYK: 5,180 mins.
• IND: 4,688 mins.
• DAL: 6,073 mins.
• DEN: 11,020 mins.
• MIN: 7,356 mins.

Horford, who became the 25th player in NBA history to exceed 6,000 career playoff minutes during the Cavs series, has more playoff experience than the remaining East teams' starting fives. Celtics have the top 3 players with most playoff experience among all remaining starters -- Horford, Tatum, Brown.

The only players with 6K+ career playoff minutes and no NBA title are Stockton, Malone, and Horford (for now).

Udonis Haslem says the Celtics aren't battle tested though.

Didn't listen to the quote but I think they mean not battle tested enough this postseason with the weak competition we've had so far. I kinda agree with them. Also wish we had KP throughout most of the run so they'll have that playoff experience together but them's the breaks.