Game Thread: Celtics (34-31) @ Magic (21-44) – 7:00PM, Wed. 05-05-21

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

I see that multiple posters have joined ‘our’ most negative poster (and the leader by light years in definitive but incorrect & premature negative predictions for games in progress, seasons in progress, series in progress) in projecting a quick end to our season.
And I most definitely can relate to what these opinions are based upon - glaring inconsistency, youth, injuries, Covid etc.
However, albeit a realist, I choose to believe that 1) we have a real chance to win almost all of our remaining games; 2) the Knicks may well flounder in that all of their remaining 7 games are VS PO teams and/or the Hawks (only 1 game in the L column ahead of us) will lose a few games opening the door to the 5 or 4 seed; 3) we will get up for & beat the Heat twice next week; & 4) we will give the Bucks or Sixers or Nets a run for their money. In the latter regard, if we get it rolling to finish the season & avoid the Play In/get a week off to practice, we will be a very tough out.

Celtics!

(Sorry Joe - I am not ready to join your ‘misery loves company’ club.)

I haven't been overly negative on this team this year. They've had a ton of injuries but on the flip side I don't think this team plays as hard as it should or simply just takes games off.

I had them finishing the season with 36 and from what I recall you said you'd be thrilled if they finished with that record. I swear people just think all the other teams are just going to sit idly by and let the Celtics pass them.

The other teams are trying as hard as they can to get out of the bottom seeds as wel ( or maintain if they're the 4th and 5th seed) The reality is every team currently in the playoffs, besides Charlotte, has been playing better the last 10 games than the Celtics

Call negativity or whatever you want but any team, and I am including Miami Atlanta New York Charlotte or Boston, that ends up in the 6th 7th or 8th seed are not getting out of the first round for the simple fact that Brooklyn Milwaukee and Philadelphia are just on a different tier than any of those teams.

But first things first let's see how tomorrow night's game goes.

[cloverleaf]

Of course we all want a title, but I'm already mostly satisifed with the season. The Jays continue to elevate their game with Tatum scraping that elusive MVP-level tier ever so closely. A couple of Ainge draftees -- Timelord, Pritchard, Nesmith, even Langford and Grant -- have shown some potential of at least becoming rotation/situational players moving forward when given appropriate opportunity. Decisions needed to be made regarding our four vets but we have something to work with in terms of young talent. We have a reclamation project in Parker (something in the vein of the Randle Renaissance would be the ideal outcome). As a team, it's been the most disappointing and frustrating season in Stevens' tenure, but individually, the players have made varying degrees of progress. I'm still hoping for (not expecting) a deep playoff run 'cos there's still no better teacher than actual experience. But yeah, I'm now content (and realistic) with however this season ends up.

If Stevens gets a Randle Renaissance out of Parker, that's it--he is the GOAT NBA coach in the making.

What's that make Thibodeau? Or are you just saying. Stevens would be the GOAT and not Thibodeau because Parker was worse when he came to BOS than Randle was when he arrived in New York? In which case, no argument here..

Yeah, Parker is the more limited player for sure at this point.

[exculpatory]

I see that multiple posters have joined ‘our’ most negative poster (and the leader by light years in definitive but incorrect & premature negative predictions for games in progress, seasons in progress, series in progress) in projecting a quick end to our season.
And I most definitely can relate to what these opinions are based upon - glaring inconsistency, youth, injuries, Covid etc.
However, albeit a realist, I choose to believe that 1) we have a real chance to win almost all of our remaining games; 2) the Knicks may well flounder in that all of their remaining 7 games are VS PO teams and/or the Hawks (only 1 game in the L column ahead of us) will lose a few games opening the door to the 5 or 4 seed; 3) we will get up for & beat the Heat twice next week; & 4) we will give the Bucks or Sixers or Nets a run for their money. In the latter regard, if we get it rolling to finish the season & avoid the Play In/get a week off to practice, we will be a very tough out.

Celtics!

(Sorry Joe - I am not ready to join your ‘misery loves company’ club.)

I haven't been overly negative on this team this year.

Fair is fair. This HAS been your best year since 2008. However, your long track record is difficult to forget.

They've had a ton of injuries, but on the flip side I don't think this team plays as hard as it should or simply just takes games off.

Agreed.

I had them finishing the season with 36 and from what I recall you said you'd be thrilled if they finished with that record.

I do not remember.

I swear people just think all the other teams are just going to sit idly by and let the Celtics pass them.

I do not think that. But the Knicks DO have a very very hard final 7 games.

The other teams are trying as hard as they can to get out of the bottom seeds as well (or maintain if they're already the 4th and 5th seed). The reality is every team currently in the playoffs, besides Charlotte, has been playing better the last 10 games than the Celtics.

Agreed.

Call it negativity or whatever you want but any team, and I am including Miami, Atlanta, New York Charlotte or Boston, that ends up in the 6th 7th or 8th seed is not getting out of the first round for the simple fact that Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Philadelphia are just on a different tier than any of those teams.

If we turn on the jets, the Jays play to their max, Smart focuses on D & playmaking, Kemba becomes Kemba again, Timelord stays healthy & shares the 5 w an aggressive Kardashian & Pritch/Fournier/Nesmith play like they have lately - we will be a huge load for any of those teams.

But first things first - let's see how tomorrow night's game goes.

Absolutely. Game by game. Keep an open mind.

[radcot]

I see that multiple posters have joined ‘our’ most negative poster (and the leader by light years in definitive but incorrect & premature negative predictions for games in progress, seasons in progress, series in progress) in projecting a quick end to our season.
And I most definitely can relate to what these opinions are based upon - glaring inconsistency, youth, injuries, Covid etc.
However, albeit a realist, I choose to believe that 1) we have a real chance to win almost all of our remaining games; 2) the Knicks may well flounder in that all of their remaining 7 games are VS PO teams and/or the Hawks (only 1 game in the L column ahead of us) will lose a few games opening the door to the 5 or 4 seed; 3) we will get up for & beat the Heat twice next week; & 4) we will give the Bucks or Sixers or Nets a run for their money. In the latter regard, if we get it rolling to finish the season & avoid the Play In/get a week off to practice, we will be a very tough out.

Celtics!

(Sorry Joe - I am not ready to join your ‘misery loves company’ club.)

I haven't been overly negative on this team this year. They've had a ton of injuries but on the flip side I don't think this team plays as hard as it should or simply just takes games off.

I had them finishing the season with 36 and from what I recall you said you'd be thrilled if they finished with that record. I swear people just think all the other teams are just going to sit idly by and let the Celtics pass them.

The other teams are trying as hard as they can to get out of the bottom seeds as wel ( or maintain if they're the 4th and 5th seed) The reality is every team currently in the playoffs, besides Charlotte, has been playing better the last 10 games than the Celtics

Call negativity or whatever you want but any team, and I am including Miami Atlanta New York Charlotte or Boston, that ends up in the 6th 7th or 8th seed are not getting out of the first round for the simple fact that Brooklyn Milwaukee and Philadelphia are just on a different tier than any of those teams.

But first things first let's see how tomorrow night's game goes.

I don't think you've been that negative considering the many occasions when negativity was in order. I'm generally a half-full kind of fan when it comes to the Celtics, but there have been days when that glass looked mighty empty.

[Taget]

This year has been frustrating. We all feel it. And we also all feel missed opportunities that a better signing here or a better draft there could've changed.

Yet the east has been oddly competitive in the mid-tier with a large chunk hovering around .500 right about where we are. Even in our darkest moments this season I never thought we weren't capable of making the second round warts and all. And I still believe the same. Given we haven't exactly hit mid tier draft picks out of the park anyway I have and continue to want us in the playoffs doing well. We have a better chance with a 4 or 5 seed. And winning this next game against Orlando is a big part considering I expect our games against Miami and New York to be a real dog fight.

I'll also add I am not much of a believer in the east's top tier. And I hope we can still give a good fight if we end up in the 8 to 6 range.

[cloverleaf]

This year has been frustrating. We all feel it. And we also all feel missed opportunities that a better signing here or a better draft there could've changed.

Yet the east has been oddly competitive in the mid-tier with a large chunk hovering around .500 right about where we are. Even in our darkest moments this season I never thought we weren't capable of making the second round warts and all. And I still believe the same. Given we haven't exactly hit mid tier draft picks out of the park anyway I have and continue to want us in the playoffs doing well. We have a better chance with a 4 or 5 seed. And winning this next game against Orlando is a big part considering I expect our games against Miami and New York to be a real dog fight.

I'll also add I am not much of a believer in the east's top tier. And I hope we can still give a good fight if we end up in the 8 to 6 range.

I actually put more of the onus on the team and coaches than GM for how the year has gone. Were they an unselfish, hard-playing team all year they would be in good shape, despite their injuries and everything else. They have mostly just played a poor form of basketball IMO.

[itrsteve]

I'll also add I am not much of a believer in the east's top tier. And I hope we can still give a good fight if we end up in the 8 to 6 range.

I may be alone with this opinion. But I prefer to stay out of the 4/5 seeds. Give me one of top 3 for the first round and let's see what they're capable of or not.

Getting through the first round on a middling team doesn't mean much to me; but, getting knocked out in the first round should be a bad taste kept over the summer and motivation the following year.

IMO, #6 would be ideal.

[cloverleaf]

I'll also add I am not much of a believer in the east's top tier. And I hope we can still give a good fight if we end up in the 8 to 6 range.

I may be alone with this opinion. But I prefer to stay out of the 4/5 seeds. Give me one of top 3 for the first round and let's see what they're capable of or not.

Getting through the first round on a middling team doesn't mean much to me; but, getting knocked out in the first round should be a bad taste kept over the summer and motivation the following year.

IMO, #6 would be ideal.

I don't want to hear their excuse that they only lost to a team that made it to the finals, or whatever. I think 5th seed would be perfect. A great series against the Knicks, with underdog seeding, would give their young guys some more experience and the team overall a chance to both gel and heal before possibly moving up to larger competition. Losing to the Knicks would be a tougher offseason pill for them to swallow than losing to one of the top 3 IMO.

[itrsteve]

I don't want to hear their excuse that they only lost to a team that made it to the finals, or whatever. I think 5th seed would be perfect. A great series against the Knicks, with underdog seeding, would give their young guys some more experience and the team overall a chance to both gel and heal before possibly moving up to larger competition. Losing to the Knicks would be a tougher offseason pill for them to swallow than losing to one of the top 3 IMO.

Not to say the Knicks or Hawks are below the Celtics at all, but does the element of "playing down" to your competition worry you given this teams history?

IMO, give me the Bucks and let's see what happens.

[zoyathedestroya]

Read on Twitter

Rest JB the next two games. REALLY HOPING WE HAVE EVERYONE FOR THE HEAT GAMES.

[exculpatory]

Read on Twitter

Rest JB the next two games. REALLY HOPING WE HAVE EVERYONE FOR THE HEAT GAMES.

He IS available tomorrow?

I agree w you.
Fournier & Nesmith can take his minutes.

[Jammer]

Health is what it is. You either have your guys, or you don't, as long as you don't have a desparate coach overplaying the starters.

My biggest concern is that when fully healthy, this team has shown itself capable of playing with anyone except maybe a fully healthy Brookllyn or Philadelphia. But, if they're shooting lights out, 3's top 2's so maybe this Celtics team could go all the way. But I don't think that it would happen because to be shooting lights out from 3 over a 7 game series guys like Fournier, Nesmith and Pritch would have to have big games and Stevens as already shown MANY times that he will let Brown go 4-24 before giving time to Nesmith and Smart can go 3-14 before giving more time to Pritch. So Orlando game aside, my concern is that Stevens will impede the talent of the team by simply not playing steaming hot new guys when they are ON and sticking with vets on their worst days.

I'm already expected BS to start Thompson over Robert Williams III, which is completely unfair to the much better TL.

[bisme37]

I have no idea what that "available" tweet is talking about. Edit: it's talking about Kemba duh. The team has officially listed JB OUT for tomorrow. But Brad says it's more to do with the previous ankle sprain than the collision at the end of the Blazers game. Also, Thompson is questionable for tomorrow.

JT and Kemba and everyone else are good and expected to play. So pretty good injury news, really.

Read on Twitter

[Feed Your Head]

I have no idea what that "available" tweet is talking about. The team has officially listed JB OUT for tomorrow. But Brad says it's more to do with the previous ankle sprain than the collision at the end of the Blazers game. Also, Thompson is questionable for tomorrow.

JT and Kemba and everyone else are good and expected to play. So pretty good injury news, really.

Read on Twitter

Isn’t that Kemba in the tweet?

[bisme37]

I have no idea what that "available" tweet is talking about. The team has officially listed JB OUT for tomorrow. But Brad says it's more to do with the previous ankle sprain than the collision at the end of the Blazers game. Also, Thompson is questionable for tomorrow.

JT and Kemba and everyone else are good and expected to play. So pretty good injury news, really.

Read on Twitter

Isn’t that Kemba in the tweet?

Umm yes lol. I got confuseded.

[cloverleaf]

I don't want to hear their excuse that they only lost to a team that made it to the finals, or whatever. I think 5th seed would be perfect. A great series against the Knicks, with underdog seeding, would give their young guys some more experience and the team overall a chance to both gel and heal before possibly moving up to larger competition. Losing to the Knicks would be a tougher offseason pill for them to swallow than losing to one of the top 3 IMO.

Not to say the Knicks or Hawks are below the Celtics at all, but does the element of "playing down" to your competition worry you given this teams history?

IMO, give me the Bucks and let's see what happens.

In MSG and the bright lights of NYC for the playoffs? No.

[cloverleaf]

I have no idea what that "available" tweet is talking about. Edit: it's talking about Kemba duh. The team has officially listed JB OUT for tomorrow. But Brad says it's more to do with the previous ankle sprain than the collision at the end of the Blazers game. Also, Thompson is questionable for tomorrow.

JT and Kemba and everyone else are good and expected to play. So pretty good injury news, really.

Read on Twitter

Maybe a little time for Mr. Kornet tonight?

[Hal14]

I'm feeling a big game here for Fournier. He had a big game in the last one vs Portland. Then gets extra day of rest before the Orlando game...going against his former team so extra motivation there. Plus he'll get more looks with Brown out. It's the perfect storm for a big Fournier game.

I mean, c'mon. We can't lose to a team that just traded their 3 best players and is now starting the guy we waived (Wagner) and we waived that guy in order to sign a guy (parker) who isn't even getting mins for us, that's how bad Wagner is, yet he's starting for Orlando right now. So c'mon, we can't lose. Especially since we should have a full team other than Brown.

We take care of business vs Orlando and hopefully get Brown back and a full squad vs Chicago for a revenge game.

That way we ride a 2 game win streak into the 2 game mini-series vs Miami.

[Hal14]

I have no idea what that "available" tweet is talking about. Edit: it's talking about Kemba duh. The team has officially listed JB OUT for tomorrow. But Brad says it's more to do with the previous ankle sprain than the collision at the end of the Blazers game. Also, Thompson is questionable for tomorrow.

JT and Kemba and everyone else are good and expected to play. So pretty good injury news, really.

Read on Twitter

Maybe a little time for Mr. Kornet tonight?

Tonight?

Not till tomorrow, which means more time for Thompson to rest up and hopefully be out there vs Orlando..

[LuckyLeprechaun]

Agreed. Which means even if they make it out of the play-in, with their injury proclivities and losing the time off before a real series begins they will be too taxed and tuckered to win a series as serious underdogs. I almost get the sense they'd be happy with the season over without having to take a beating for four games from a legit contender.

Kind of getting that as well. The reward for finishing 6th 7th or 8th is getting swept on national TV. I'm sure they would rather start their vacation early then play a going through the motions series.

Celtics are sort of like the Lakers and Heat this year. They all have the sense that they just don't have it this year. COVID, injuries, etc. Just zero momentum at this point.

I think they will just bow out quietly this year then look to a big offseason unloading the vets and going full on Tatum-Brown era...

3 of the 4 teams that had the least time off after the bubble. Not a coincidence IMO.