NBA Playoff Games 2025, Non-Celtics

[NYCelticsfan136]

LOL Knicks. Pacers are tough. But I think they lose in 5 to OKC.

It could a boring finals. Market not as big.

I’d much rather see two good teams play, especially if it’s the offensive juggernaut vs the defensive juggernaut. Screw the trash Knicks. I couldn’t care less that they are from New York.

Hey I can’t root for the ny but it will be interesting to see how the ratings would be though.

[Roger Federer]

Pisses me off how we threw away an opportunity to get to the Finals. Knicks are fake contenders. They didn't win against us. We fumbled those games.

Agree about these Knicks, they just peaked at the same time we were crumbling as a team.

With the way Indiana is playing though, I don't think we're getting past them. They just look so poised and their offense feels unstoppable with all their movement.

We blew TWO 20 point leads that would have sealed the series because our players are too soft to want to drive to the basket and too dumb to adjust when their shots aren’t falling. It had nothing to do with the Knicks as evidenced by this series, are players are talented but don’t have any other X factors beyond that.

[GreenBloodedC]

Knicks about to be swept

[playa-hater]

Indiana may not be good enough to beat OKC, but it is so Refreshing
to see a team play so unselfishly and with such high basketball IQ.. I had forgotten what that feels and looks like.

[Bosjack]

When i see how easy was that they beat the so called Knicks.Just drive to the paint,dont panick and shoot threes like us.Omg that was such a nice game from Indiana.

Indiana has a better coach.Im glad.And im sad for one member of their team that we drafted.He really turned up the heat for them

F.. the KNICKS.Il make this post easier for mods

[Fierce1]

OKC and Indy have proven you don't need 2 supermax players to be in the hunt for a chip.

The faster everybody, including Brad, accept that, the faster the Cs can get back to hunting banners.

There's just no way around the new CBA.

You can't get quality role players if 2 players eat up close to 70% of the cap space.

And it's more fun if more players are touching the ball and we see 10 players getting playing time.

[OnlyTheTruth]

OKC and Indy have proven you don't need 2 supermax players to be in the hunt for a chip.

The faster everybody, including Brad, accept that, the faster the Cs can get back to hunting banners.

There's just no way around the new CBA.

You can't get quality role players if 2 players eat up close to 70% of the cap space.

And it's more fun if more players are touching the ball and we see 10 players getting playing time.

But you still need a true Batman in the team. OKC has a MVP.....Indiana Hali has been balling too. Denver almost stopped OKC and they too have MVP player.

[Fierce1]

OKC and Indy have proven you don't need 2 supermax players to be in the hunt for a chip.

The faster everybody, including Brad, accept that, the faster the Cs can get back to hunting banners.

There's just no way around the new CBA.

You can't get quality role players if 2 players eat up close to 70% of the cap space.

And it's more fun if more players are touching the ball and we see 10 players getting playing time.

But you still need a true Batman in the team. OKC has a MVP.....Indiana Hali has been balling too. Denver almost stopped OKC and they too have MVP player.

That's why I proposed having a Big 3 on a 2-year window.

JT, JB, and KD or JT, DWhite, and KD for 2026 and 2027.

JT is true Batman that just needs to be coached better.

Just like Phil Jackson telling Kobe and Shaq that if they want a ring, they must let Phil coach them.

The problem with Joe is he's too lenient on the Jays.

[FlatearthZorro]

Knicks about to be swept

I think we would've done much better against the Pacers if we went into the playoffs fully healthy. It is what it is though.

[FlatearthZorro]

When i see how easy was that they beat the so called Knicks.Just drive to the paint,dont panick and shoot threes like us.Omg that was such a nice game from Indiana.

Indiana has a better coach.Im glad.And im sad for one member of their team that we drafted.He really turned up the heat for them

F.. the KNICKS.Il make this post easier for mods

Our offense this year, imo was worse than last year. When we played IND last year, we attacked them quite a bit. We didn't just settle for 3s, the 3s opened up the paint. This year, to me injuries played a role going into the playoffs. I was really disappointed KP couldn't overcome his respiratory issues. I thought it was a fantastic matchup for him and I legit thought we'd beat the Knicks in 5 games tops.

[FlatearthZorro]

It's annoying how good a 6ft tall player like Brunson is. But have to give him his respect.

Honestly, prime IT before the hip would've done the same stuff if not better. The Knicks do have a fairly decent team. Poor coach though. Joe taking pages out of Thibs playbook, not playing the bench, doing the same **** over and over again.

[FlatearthZorro]

Another random thought- I think the Cavs are much better than they showed this year, if healthy they'd win the East, imo. They were the #8 defensive team. I believe injuries at the end of the season ruined their playoff run. They had the Pacers in trouble multiple times even with the injuries but failed to keep the leads.

[GreenBloodedC]

Knicks about to be swept

I think we would've done much better against the Pacers if we went into the playoffs fully healthy. It is what it is though.

Yup unfortunately.

Even maybe with our players this year (w a healthy Tatum).

[FlatearthZorro]

Knicks about to be swept

I think we would've done much better against the Pacers if we went into the playoffs fully healthy. It is what it is though.

Yup unfortunately.

Even maybe with our players this year (w a healthy Tatum).

Yes, I'm talking about this year. Brown, Jrue and Porzingis all not being healthy affected us. It is sports though, as I said. A huge part of winning is being healthy(outside of talent of course). We did somehow play worse offense than in last year's playoffs though.

[Fierce1]

Not really surprising considering the Cs had 4 players shooting 40% from 3pt land last season.

This season, Jrue and Al were not as accurate from 3.

JB was also playing injured and KP having an illness that they can't figure out really made the Celtics heavily reliant on the 3pt shot.

But even if the Cs advanced, OKC would most likely beat the Cs in the Finals.

OKC is just a bad matchup for the Cs.

[ThePigeon]

IND is such a fun team to watch
Play with pace, unselfish, players don't faze and have patience, multiple paint touches and hunting the layup, not the 3
Joe talks a lot about the margins - watch Hali throw the ball for a layup after conceding a basket. No hesitation, just runs for the ball and throw it. No wasting time, no complaints. FUN
Multiple such possessions each game. When you play fast you get easy baskets. Just like OKC but with JOY and without hunting FT when you get stuck

We need a better system and probably better coaching staff

[ThePigeon]

IND giving Tony Bradley 8 meaningful minutes in the 3rd and 4th is a testament of what a great coach Carlisle is. Bryant was playing bad so he got Tony in

[Smart2Nesmith43]

The Pacers have 2 D White type players in Andrew Nembhard and Sheppard. Pass. shoot, create and make totally High IQ decisions. Obviously not as good as D White and especially on defense. But just watching them and noting that they were both late first-2nd Rd picks is proof that drafting the right players matters so much.

I suggested trying to get Ben Sheppard as a buy low candidate a couple days ago in the free agent/trade thread. He is +22 in 20 minutes in the ECF. Small sample but dude can play late in the playoffs.

[Fierce1]

IND is such a fun team to watch
Play with pace, unselfish, players don't faze and have patience, multiple paint touches and hunting the layup, not the 3
Joe talks a lot about the margins - watch Hali throw the ball for a layup after conceding a basket. No hesitation, just runs for the ball and throw it. No wasting time, no complaints. FUN
Multiple such possessions each game. When you play fast you get easy baskets. Just like OKC but with JOY and without hunting FT when you get stuck

We need a better system and probably better coaching staff

The system is fine.
We already won a chip with the current system.

It's the coach being too trusting with his star players.

Joe needs to tweak his coaching style.

[London2Boston]

Really should have targeted Brunson much more during our series. It’s so strange when you consider how much we went hunting players in our championship run last season.