Should we try to beat 72 wins OR rest the starters?

[cfan79]

I think that the most important thing is to get the top seed and rest the starters. Records don't matter at all. Houston Rockets won 22 games in a row last season, but at the end of the year they were sitting at home watching other teams move on.

[Ortho Stice]

If the Cavs keep biting the backs of our pant legs then we can't let up. If we're near the end of the season and it's at all possible, do it

[sunshinekids99]

Too early to be worrying about that now. They have to keep the pedal down at this point. And as idrinkrootbeer pointed out later you can judge based on record.

[SonicYouth34]

I don't really care about that record and neither does the team. Only home court advantage is worth winning a ton of games

[jfs1000d]

It is irrelevant until you get homecourt. It isn't like the Celts opened up a huge lead with this streak. They put away the division, but Cleveland is right there. They need to keep winning. Celtics need every game.

It's too early to talk about it. and, Houston's 22 game streak had nothing to do with their playoff performance.

[Dave_From_NB]

I don't think we should TRY and beat ANY regular season records. If they come, they come. I don't think the current streak has been a result of overplaying the starters, which I think is the key.

Home court in the playoffs is key, if 60 wins would do it, I'd be happy with that. If 75 wins is what it takes, so be it.

[Rocky5000]

Just try to win every game, one game at a time, and see where you end up. I think that's Doc's philosophy.

[Truthiracy]

You go for the record in the sense of you try to win every game, but that has to be the focus, and not the fact you're trying to beat the all time record. One game at a time - yes.

With that being said, whether you care to admit it or not, most of us (including myself) are following this. It's in our nature as fans

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/best

[GreenGrizz]

If we are well ahead of a second place in March, we should rest and try to get full motivation back in time for the play-offs. I don't think we can win 72 games with that kind of bench depth we are having now. We will have to let it go or no #18.

[Athanacropolis]

It is irrelevant until you get homecourt. It isn't like the Celts opened up a huge lead with this streak. They put away the division, but Cleveland is right there. They need to keep winning. Celtics need every game.

It's too early to talk about it. and, Houston's 22 game streak had nothing to do with their playoff performance.

Exactly. Plus, I always thought "rest the starters" was a bit silly. The Celtics starters didn't get much rest last year, and had the longest playoff run ever for a champion, and look where they ended up? And that didn't seem to bother them this season, either. Win every game until home court is locked up.

[cfan79]

Plus, I always thought "rest the starters" was a bit silly. The Celtics starters didn't get much rest last year, and had the longest playoff run ever for a champion, and look where they ended up? And that didn't seem to bother them this season, either. Win every game until home court is locked up.

Some of these guys aren't spring chickens, the more rest they have now the better they will feel later in their careers. I think if we clinch the top spot then the rest of the season games don't mean much and why risk them.

I don't want to see any of our starters injured in a meaningless game.

[UGA Hayes]

Its a double edged sword. Frankly surpassing 72 is a bigger accomplishment that a championship but as you New englanders know if you get there only to blow the chamionship it becomes something of a scarlett letter.

[MalReyn]

Homecourt is worth playing our starters a little extra. If we play the Cavs it'll be a brutal series regardless, much moreso if we don't have homecourt.

As for the record? It'd be nice, and really put an exclamation point on the season. Last year we knew by mid-February the record was out of reach. If that's the case again, of course we'll rest the starters. But if April arrives and we still have a chance, I think the PLAYERS will choose to go for it. That's a stamp on history beyond even a championship.

[GuyClinch]

Enough wins for HCA - that's all. That's probably 72 the way the Cavs are playing though.

[cdubbz]

Getting 73 wins AND winning the title would be great. Celtics havent faced most of the better teams yet so we'll see.

[rambo_ortega]

i'd say we go for history. we've been resting our stars well in most games.

[Truthiracy]

Getting 73 wins AND winning the title would be great. Celtics havent faced most of the better teams yet so we'll see.

True, but remember when this was stated over and over last year, then the Celtics went out and beat every team in the league atleast once, and they're better this year.

[MaxwellSmart]

Didn't the Bulls set that record in an EXPANSION year?....that alone gave them like 5 AUTOMATIC victories....The Raptors and Grizzlies came into the league in the 95-96 season.--so, it's a Bogus record anyway.

[MaxwellSmart]

The 86 C's won 67 games----if they could have played Toronto/Vancouver 6 times like the 96 Bulls did ( instead of say, Detroit or Philly)----they would have won 72-73 Games also....so screw the Bulls & their BS record!....and Toronto actually beat them once that year!

[Fencer reregistered]

It depends on whether either the Cavs or Lakers are on pace for 71.