Might be worth noting that while the Celtics have of course won 17 championships, as of this year they have won 60 or more regular season games 14 times. Winning 60 has been historically more difficult than winning the title, at least for the Celtics.
Just based on it being Milwaukee, I was guessing 2---and I agree both are quite possible
I don't know if it does or should factor into their calculus, but if they beat Milwaukee they are tossing the Bucks into the scrum for the 4th seed and may see them again in the second round (assuming the Celts and Bucks both advance, knock wood for the C's). Not that the Celtics are, or should be, afraid of the Bucks, but probably just as well to put off that encounter until the ECF if at all. Which is all to say, I won't be broken up if the Celts come out at half speed and literally the only thing that matters is avoiding injury.
Arm chair psychologist warning: Deciphering Joe’s tendencies throughout the year, I think he would believe that attempting to influence seeding beyond controlling their own destiny is beneath CJM and his squad. Like Ime’s squad, they’re not ducking anyone. However, his insane competitive nature, coupled with his stance on players (and coaches) swatting shot attempts after a whistle to prevent someone starting to feel comfortable, I really think there’s a part of him that would rather kick them when they’re down and assert some dominance.
It's hard to see Joe liking the cultural vibe of going half speed and getting spanked as a last taste of the Bucks. The Cs win when they sit stars all the time because the players who do play, play hard. I don't think it's playoff intensity, but I think the Cs are feeling good and would be happy to give the Bucks a workout. They seem like they're having fun.
They easily could have lost to the Kings, and Mazzulla was fine with that either way.
They for sure could have lost, but they just had to score on like 3 of their last 10 possessions to keep it from being remotely close. At that point, Coach Joe would have looked like he was panicking. His hands weren't tied, but the really couldn't bring the starters back in there with a straight face. I'll be interested in what he chooses if it's a 5-point lead going into the fourth.
Nice, I feel like he's earned it. Now go get that G League championship young fella.
Looks like Queta is in Maine for the G League finals game tonight
Three words : marc Davis sucks. He should never be allowed to ref a Celts game.. or any game for that matter.
The 1 seed should be able to literally pick its preferred qualified playoff opponent in the first round!
I posted about this in the other thread, but the evidence for this is literally just last season. They were clearly trying in the regular season in 2022, when they got the 1 seed. They were clearly just not that good in 2021, when they were the 6th seed and got swept in round 1. Not only are they having a mediocre regular season, they haven't exactly stepped up for big games or big moments. 1-5 against Boston and Milwaukee, 29th in 4th quarter net rating, 17th in overall net rating...etc etc etc.
Considering they're only 2 wins from not having to play elimination playoff games before playing a fully rested 1 or 2 seed (or not playing them because they lost, since anything can happen in those play in games), not trying in the regular season and just assuming that you'll win and no one you're facing just gets hot that night, is pretty fucking stupid for one of the best coaches in the NBA.
I don't think the team would have been there if it weren't for the national TV policy, and it showed.
When they showed Tatum mic’ed up saying that the next time the team traveled it would mean something, I kind of gathered that this game meant next to nothing to them.
We already saw this last year and in 2022, when they sent skeleton squads to road games in Milwaukee and Toronto late in the season, on annoying 1-game road trips.
Where do you get that Spo isn’t trying in the reg season or assuming they will win? Butler, Adebayo and Herro all played 44+ min in their double OT win last night.
Yeah, they're trying. They're just not that good without Butler going supernova, and he hasn't been able to do that yet. He did it last year in the early rounds, so we'll see.
Celtics offensive rating since they changed the officiating is about 126 which is absurdly good. the best ever.
The Celtics, while being very skilled, are also a physically tough bunch. If we played the game on the playground with no refs, I'd imagine that they would take advantage of the lack of whistles and physically impose themselves on defense with the worst intentions too. There's a mental adjustment, but honestly part of me is happy that this new no-whistles standard is being test-run in the regular season. Our guys have seen it now. If it happens in the playoffs, they shouldn't be thrown for a loop.
They’re going to win the Conference by like 13-14 games, and these games mean nothing. “Peaking too early” would be the worst excuse ever. Who exactly is peaking right now in the East, anyway? The conference blows.
If the games mean nothing, why play the starters? I'd rather have Pritchard and Co. busting their asses than watch Brown and Co. sleepwalk through games (and risk injury).
And the bench is going to play starter minutes in the B2B tomorrow, so hard to ride them starter minutes tonight.
Pretty sure everybody is banged up enough at this point of the season that they could claim credible injuries.
