Eastern Conference | Round 1 | (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Brooklyn Nets

Post #221 » by **bisme37** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:12 pm

The Nets definitely won more games over the last 20 or so than they did earlier in the season. The Celtics won even more games over that span.

The Nets offensive, defensive and net ratings got better over the last 20 games. The Celtics ratings remained substantially better over that span.

Deeper dive: Looking at the Nets recent schedule, they beat the Pacers, Knicks, Rockets, Magic, Pistons, Blazers etc.

Lost to Bucks, Hornets, Grizzlies, Hawks, Mavs, Raps twice, etc.

They had nice wins over the Heat and Jazz a couple weeks ago. That's about as much credit as I can give them.

But if people want to think the Nets are a juggernaut because they has a stretch of wins over lottery teams, go for it I guess.

raptor jesus · Post #222 » by **raptor jesus** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:12 pm

I expect the Celtics to win comfortably. They're better on both sides of the ball, including vastly better defensively. Celtics in 5.

timO · Post #223 » by **timO** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:12 pm

Slax wrote:
timO wrote:
Slax wrote:36 / (36 + 19) * 82 = 53.7

I did the math. It's not almost 60.

enough for the #1 seed in the east, so i was right

Celtics think they are going to play a #7 seed

I am significantly less impressed than you are that if this Nets team had managed to have KD healthy enough to play 82 games while still playing Harden for half of them, there's a good choice they might have won like three more games than the Celtics actually won this whole season, including their sloppy beginning of the year and the games Tatum, Brown, Smart, and Rob Williams were missing with injuries.

The actual Nets team that the Celtics are playing right now having ordinary health during an 82 game season is a team that probably gets somewhere in the high 40's wins, maybe around 50. They're much better than a typical 7 seed, but to imagine they're a juggernaut that would outclass the rest of the east if not for injuries, you have to engage in some fantastical thinking and just ignore how they have actually played on the court even when healthy.

So KD 55/82

Irving 29/82

Harden 44/82, and 10-15 coasting to force a trade.

Like they dont have injuries too

Irving own u man, and he will make a statement series.

Like Lebron did to the raps alone, 4-0

its going to be funny to see.

jfs1000d · Post #224 » by **jfs1000d** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:15 pm

DarkXaero wrote:
jfs1000d wrote:
cool93 wrote:I think Celtics fans are in for a rude awakening, they overrate their RS run way to much. Nets in 6, if Kyrie plays on his top level - Nets in 5.

Sent from my G3416 using RealGM mobile app

Player rankings

1. Durant
2. Tatum
3. Irving
4. Brown
5. Smart
6. Horford
7. Derick White
8. Bruce Brown
9. Grant Williams
10. Theis
11. Drummond
12, Claxton
13. Curry
14. Pritchard
15. Patty Mills

I think the Nets are in for a rude awakening. It's 5-on-5. First off, Durant and Irving are great, but the Celtics also can match their production. Tatum is All-NBA caliber, probably 2nd team. The gap between Durant/Irving and the rest of the Nets roster is so pronounced. Bruce Brown your third-best player?

And, Tatum is at an MVP level. That's a wash. Yes, Durant is great. But so is Tatum. Tatum has the ability to be best player on the floor. He showed that when he scored 50 on the Nets.

Nets can't play defense, barely beat a young and bad offensive team in the Cavs with Irving absolutely lights out.

Someone has to explain to me how they stop Boston offensively. Nets lucky that Rob Williams isn't there, though Theis is massively underrated by non-analytics NBA types.
On the flip side, the last two times Celtics beat KD & Kyrie, they needed 50 from Tatum. And even then the last game was closely contested.

Nets are terrific and of course Durant and Irving are elite offensive talents. But, Brown and Tatum are 52 PPG and the 3-15 on the rosters is heavily favored to Boston. Can Durant go crazy and average 40 per game and prove to be unstoppable? Sure.

But, the same can be said of Tatum. It's what's around them. Who is Nets' third option? Seth CUrry? Brown? Drummond?

I don't think the Nets have the horses this ykear. A full year of SImmons, to jump start the offense and them adding some more shooting? Deadly.

But they don't play defense, and Bruce Brown, Curry and Kessler is kind silly. Boston has much more talent and shooting than they had a year ago.

PrinceCliche · Post #225 » by **PrinceCliche** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:16 pm

[/quote]
Yea Jaylen hung 40 on Ben last year with Tatum out. Add in the fact they can flat out ignore him and double off him with zero fear of him doing anything.[/quote]

I love this post from Boston a fan...

They want to double off Ben leaving him open "with zero fear of him doing anything"

I love his logic!

Nets' in 6

zeebneeb · Post #226 » by **zeebneeb** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:20 pm

This is another series in which I'm unsure of how it will play out, but I will note that the Nets had trouble defensively against the Cavs, and in having that much trouble, makes me think that it will be even worse against the Celtics.

Joshyjess · Post #227 » by **Joshyjess** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:21 pm

PrinceCliche wrote:

Yea Jaylen hung 40 on Ben last year with Tatum out. Add in the fact they can flat out ignore him and double off him with zero fear of him doing anything.[/quote]

I love this post from Boston a fan...

They want to double off Ben leaving him open "with zero fear of him doing anything"

I love his logic!

Nets' in 6[/quote]
It worked over and over and over when the C's played Philly - and that was with a healthy Simmons. Now that you have a physically and mentally damaged Simmons, you think that he's suddenly going to start playing better in the playoffs than he did before?

Slax · Post #228 » by **Slax** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:23 pm

PrinceCliche wrote:
Yea Jaylen hung 40 on Ben last year with Tatum out. Add in the fact they can flat out ignore him and double off him with zero fear of him doing anything.

I love this post from Boston a fan...

They want to double off Ben leaving him open "with zero fear of him doing anything"

I love his logic!

Nets' in 6

He isn't even physically capable to play right now. He hasn't done a 5-on-5 NBA practice since June last year, and he isn't able to run sprints. He's obviously not in game shape, and if he ends up being a difference maker in this series it will be by far the most miraculous recovery in NBA history.

Post #229 » by **bisme37** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:28 pm

PrinceCliche wrote:I love this post from Boston a fan...

They want to double off Ben leaving him open "with zero fear of him doing anything"

I love his logic!

Nets' in 6

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Karate Diop · Post #230 » by **Karate Diop** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:29 pm

Man, I know Nets have some flaws that are exacerbated even more by injuries... But I'm surprised C's fans wanna act like the C's some type of juggernaut :lol:

.. Like bruh for real?

Slax · Post #231 » by **Slax** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:31 pm

timO wrote:
Slax wrote:
timO wrote:
enough for the #1 seed in the east, so i was right

Celtics think they are going to play a #7 seed

I am significantly less impressed than you are that if this Nets team had managed to have KD healthy enough to play 82 games while still playing Harden for half of them, there's a good choice they might have won like three more games than the Celtics actually won this whole season, including their sloppy beginning of the year and the games Tatum, Brown, Smart, and Rob Williams were missing with injuries.

The actual Nets team that the Celtics are playing right now having ordinary health during an 82 game season is a team that probably gets somewhere in the high 40's wins, maybe around 50. They're much better than a typical 7 seed, but to imagine they're a juggernaut that would outclass the rest of the east if not for injuries, you have to engage in some fantastical thinking and just ignore how they have actually played on the court even when healthy.

So KD 55/82

Irving 29/82

Harden 44/82, and 10-15 coasting to force a trade.

Like they dont have injuries too

Irving own u man, and he will make a statement series.

Like Lebron did to the raps alone, 4-0

its going to be funny to see.

You insisted it was possible to just "do the math" and show the Nets were playing like a 60 win team when healthy. You were wrong. No shame, it's ok, they are a decent team and it's understandable you might have mixed up some numbers or supposed that they would support you when they didn't. Happens to all of us, me included. But at this point the numbers are out there, so you should just take the L and move on instead of wasting time insisting you were right.

Snotbubbles · Post #232 » by **Snotbubbles** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:34 pm

I can't believe I'm actually going to root for the Celtics. Damn you Ben Simmons.

TinmanZBoy · Post #233 » by **TinmanZBoy** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:36 pm

If KD and Kyrie go off, nets have a chance

Backcountry · Post #234 » by **Backcountry** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:46 pm

chrisab123 wrote:This really might be the only series where over 50% of the GB is actively rooting for Boston. Either they hate KD, hate Simmons or hate Kyrie

The only possible reason I could cheer for BKN is for Steve Nash. But he seems way over his head as a coach at this level. And the rest of them just make it too much. Boston it is.

Joshyjess · Post #235 » by **Joshyjess** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:49 pm

TinmanZBoy wrote:If KD and Kyrie go off, nets have a chance

Of course that assumes that Tatum and Brown won't go off.
Basically Tatum negates Durant (in the playoffs Tatum usually performs at Durant's level), and Brown negates Kryie (they both will get their 25 points or so), so that leaves you with what is left.
Take out the two best players, and you have one team that focuses on crushing defense, and really good ball movement, with players 3 - 8 who are all really solid-to-really good being coached by a guy who just won coach of the month in March against a team that has hasn't shown much of anything outside of their top two players. They have some guys who can occasionaly go off (which they will 100% need), a team that has no idea how to play defense, and a coach that is at best average.
Call me nuts if you want, but I think Boston has a huge advantag in this series. Add to that the the C's have home-court advantage, and that they are still pissed about what kryie did last year at center court, and you could very well be looking at quite the beat down.

Perseus1966 · Post #236 » by **Perseus1966** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:53 pm

Someone must tell Celtics that Rob is a younger Drummond and not Kareem.

Fencer reregistered · Post #237 » by **Fencer reregistered** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:58 pm

Speculation about Timelord's return. Nothing new. Points out that the 4 week mark will be hit right around the time of (if necessary) Game 5.

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/robert-williams-injury-could-big-man-return-during-celtics-nets-series

Fencer reregistered · Post #238 » by **Fencer reregistered** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:59 pm

Perseus1966 wrote:Someone must tell Celtics that Rob is a younger Drummond

I think the Celtics are too smart to believe anything that ridiculous.

ShermansShoes · Post #239 » by **ShermansShoes** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 6:03 pm

It took 42 minutes each from Kyrie and Durant to put away a clearly flawed but game Cavs team last night. Their offensive performance last night is what they will need to replicate each game against the Celtics to have a chance to win. Is it possible? Yes. Probable? Highly unlikely.

Claud · Post #240 » by **Claud** » Wed Apr 13, 2022 6:26 pm

All this talk doesn't mean ****.

Let's see what happens on the court.

Cs are a great team, and we've had a chaotic season so no surprise the majority of people are picking the Cs.

I don't mind being the underdogs for once.

Should be one hell of a series, but don't expect it to go 7.

Nets in 6. Good luck to both teams.

Who wins the series?