ECSF: P2 | (2) Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers (3) | BOS 3-0

[BloodNinja]

ESPN "experts"....

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This is why we play these games.

[FlatearthZorro]

76ers are just inexperienced and making dumb mistakes plus vastly outcoached. Celtics are the better team.

I'm sorry lad, but we're younger than them and our main guys are much younger than theirs. Horford is 31, Baynes 32, Tatum 20, Terry 23, Jaylen 21. Smart is 24. Marco is 32, Reddick is 33, Embiid is 24, Simmons is 22 in a month, Saric is 24, Illyasova 32.

[SmartWentCrazy]

This series reminds me of San Antonio vs Houston last year. Boston has tried to take away the 3 point line and force Philly to beat them creating in the mid range. Embiid and Simmons are all world talents, but their limited to primarily creating looks in the post. They just dont have anyone whos capable of creating from the wing to dribble drive or PnR and its killing them offensively.

Also, the bad part of this series for Celtics fans is that I’d likely now put Philly as the favorite for LeBron this summer— I doubt he was going to touch Philly if they played in the ECFs. If I had to guess, they’ll do an opt-in and trade so Philly can keep bird rights on Redick. A JJ-RoCo-LBJ-Simmons-Embiid lineup is pretty nuts.

[robbie84]

The bandwagon hate on Morris here is pathetic. Dude's been huge for the C's on both ends and has really stepped up since kyrie went down.
The reason he shoots a load is because Stevens makes that his role. Without Morris the C's don't beat the Bucks or 76ers.

[Madhouse]

76ers are just inexperienced and making dumb mistakes plus vastly outcoached. Celtics are the better team.

I'm sorry lad, but we're younger than them and our main guys are much younger than theirs. Horford is 31, Baynes 32, Tatum 20, Terry 23, Jaylen 21. Smart is 24. Marco is 32, Reddick is 33, Embiid is 24, Simmons is 22 in a month, Saric is 24, Illyasova 32.

The difference is that 3 of the supposed to be main scorers never played playoffs before.

[FlatearthZorro]

76ers are just inexperienced and making dumb mistakes plus vastly outcoached. Celtics are the better team.

I'm sorry lad, but we're younger than them and our main guys are much younger than theirs. Horford is 31, Baynes 32, Tatum 20, Terry 23, Jaylen 21. Smart is 24. Marco is 32, Reddick is 33, Embiid is 24, Simmons is 22 in a month, Saric is 24, Illyasova 32.

The difference is that 3 of the supposed to be main scorers never played playoffs before.

Their main scorer has been Reddick. Belinelli has been their bench go-to-guy.

[Madhouse]

I'm sorry lad, but we're younger than them and our main guys are much younger than theirs. Horford is 31, Baynes 32, Tatum 20, Terry 23, Jaylen 21. Smart is 24. Marco is 32, Reddick is 33, Embiid is 24, Simmons is 22 in a month, Saric is 24, Illyasova 32.

The difference is that 3 of the supposed to be main scorers never played playoffs before.

Their main scorer has been Reddick. Belinelli has been their bench go-to-guy.

supposed to main scorers should have been SIMMONS, Saric and Embiid all playing their first playoffs.

[GWVan]

76ers are just inexperienced and making dumb mistakes plus vastly outcoached. Celtics are the better team.

I'm sorry lad, but we're younger than them and our main guys are much younger than theirs. Horford is 31, Baynes 32, Tatum 20, Terry 23, Jaylen 21. Smart is 24. Marco is 32, Reddick is 33, Embiid is 24, Simmons is 22 in a month, Saric is 24, Illyasova 32.

The difference is that 3 of the supposed to be main scorers never played playoffs before.

That's the benefit of playing your rookies instead of red shirting them. In Boston there is a process.

[TM_]

So embarrassing to drop confetti because you send it to OT when you are down 0-2. **** organization..

[Crossy2008]

76ers are just inexperienced and making dumb mistakes plus vastly outcoached. Celtics are the better team.

I'm sorry lad, but we're younger than them and our main guys are much younger than theirs. Horford is 31, Baynes 32, Tatum 20, Terry 23, Jaylen 21. Smart is 24. Marco is 32, Reddick is 33, Embiid is 24, Simmons is 22 in a month, Saric is 24, Illyasova 32.

The difference is that 3 of the supposed to be main scorers never played playoffs before.

Embiid is simply not ready to play big minutes. He should be. He's been off a minutes restriction for a long time. I actually think it's more to do with Brett Brown than Embiid. He keeps starting Embiid in the 4th quarter, giving him a 2 minute rest at the 7 minute mark, then finishing the final 5 minutes with him. Those 10 minute quarters at the end of the game are too much for most players. You got to trust your bench at some point in the game. I would go into the fourth looking to get Embiid in the game at the 8 minute mark, and if the game is within 2 or 3 points, I would hold off until the 7 or 6:30 mark.

[Homerclease]

I'm sorry lad, but we're younger than them and our main guys are much younger than theirs. Horford is 31, Baynes 32, Tatum 20, Terry 23, Jaylen 21. Smart is 24. Marco is 32, Reddick is 33, Embiid is 24, Simmons is 22 in a month, Saric is 24, Illyasova 32.

The difference is that 3 of the supposed to be main scorers never played playoffs before.

Embiid is simply not ready to play big minutes. He should be. He's been off a minutes restriction for a long time. I actually think it's more to do with Brett Brown than Embiid. He keeps starting Embiid in the 4th quarter, giving him a 2 minute rest at the 7 minute mark, then finishing the final 5 minutes with him. Those 10 minute quarters at the end of the game are too much for most players. You got to trust your bench at some point in the game. I would go into the fourth looking to get Embiid in the game at the 8 minute mark, and if the game is within 2 or 3 points, I would hold off until the 7 or 6:30 mark.

It’s his first full season and first playoff run. Guy straight up ran out of gas IMO. Embiid was sucking wind for much of the 4th quarter. It’s taking a lot of out him trying to stick with Horford on the perimeter and bang with Baynes down low

[brackdan70]

The bandwagon hate on Morris here is pathetic. Dude's been huge for the C's on both ends and has really stepped up since kyrie went down.
The reason he shoots a load is because Stevens makes that his role. Without Morris the C's don't beat the Bucks or 76ers.

Morris is good guy to have coming off the bench. Glad the Cs have him for sure. Assuming a healthy Hayward and Theis next year his role will likely be much reduced. His shot would be so much more effective if he would even just fake a pass from time to time though.

[Celts17Pride]

Embiid isn’t 100%

You just summed up his young career

[Triple M]

the Sixers need a real PG. Embiid cant play 40 mins and pounding vs. Baynes and Horford is taking a lot of energy out of him so having someone to get Embiid and Ben easy looks probably means a less gassed out Embiid down the stretch of games. The Sixers also are doing a terrible job of controlling pace in this series by going too fast at times settling for contested looks early in the clock and their time management has been bad down the stretch of games,

[Triple M]

Embiid was a monster in game 1 but since has gone 8-22 and 10-26 and most of those fga were 1 on 1 pounding with Baynes and Horford. Prior to game 1 even some Sixers were praising the job Baynes did in the regular season so it shouldn't surprise people that the Celtics are having some success in stretches in defending Embiid. The Sixers need to find ways to make it easier for Embiid because not only is everything on him to create for him self but he has to create for all their 3 point shooters coming off screens he's setting.

[theonlyclutch]

ESPN "experts"....

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ESPN's credibility went out the window after NOP v POR

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[valrond1]

ESPN "experts"....

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Yep, the same experts that game NO CHANCE to the Pelicans over the Blazers. These "experts" have no more chance of predicting the results than your average basketball fan (like we are here in realgm).

[KamikazeK]

ESPN "experts"....

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Yep, the same experts that game NO CHANCE to the Pelicans over the Blazers. These "experts" have no more chance of predicting the results than your average basketball fan (like we are here in realgm).

Not disagreeing with you, but don't you think it would be so boring if all the media talking heads correctly predicted everything 100%? I mean yeah they suck at their jobs but I think I still prefer that over total predictability.

[Gant]

ESPN "experts"....

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Of the 3 that chose Boston, one is a current Celtics beat writer, and one a former Celtics beat writer.

[robbie84]

ESPN "experts"....

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Of the 3 that chose Boston, one is a current Celtics beat writer, and one a former Celtics beat writer.

Probably the only 3 that actually follow the Celtics and know how tough they are even this depleted.
Huge under rating of the Celtics by national media and slight over rating of the 76ers with so many inexperienced players.
The 76ers veteran acquisitions were good but not game changing. Ilyasova and Bellinelli just arent going to impact the game vs the better defenses in the NBA over a playoff series. Then throw in their neutral to negative defensive impacts and Philly is relying on a similarly young roster to the Celtics , without the playoff experience nor the coaching, nor the defensive intensity that such coaching/experience provides.

Embid's dunks and moves are nice, but in this series he's looked like somewhat of a chucker and Simmons has looked like a deer in headlights against this physicality.

Both Simmons and Saric are being seriously effected by the physicality of the Celtics defense. Reddick, Embid, Roco and McConnell are playing tough, but Ben and Dario are still adjusting to playoff physical basketball. I'm stumped as to why Rashad Holmes hasn't played. Dude would be perfect out there resting Embid and Saric.

Go watch the Bucks vs Celtics series and compare their physicality on both ends. They came hard at Boston and won those 3 games at home with some incredibly aggressive, physical, intimidating defense and points off turnovers in transition from it.

76ers will be fine, but i do think their priority should be going after some muscle this offseason.
You can't effectively play offense against tough defense until you experience and execute that tough defense yourself.
Marcus Smart would be an excellent free agent move for the 76ers. Roco needs some help on the perimeter.