2023-24 Celtics
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Other than the injury reports, has the team said anything about KP's hamstring? How it happened, timeline, prognosis? I'm more than fine with him sitting until the playoffs start (the Celtics absolutely do not need him to finish with homecourt throughout, 16-3 without him), but I don't believe I've seen anything about this injury specifically. The other times he's missed consecutive games (his calf early in the year, and the ankle a couple of months ago) we saw the injury, but he seemed find when he last played against Denver.
Given how well they've played and the distance between them and everyone else, I expect them to go all out to win one more game (next Wednesday, Milwaukee at home), and to rest 2-4 of their top 6 every other game.
Given how well they've played and the distance between them and everyone else, I expect them to go all out to win one more game (next Wednesday, Milwaukee at home), and to rest 2-4 of their top 6 every other game.
At the start of the game (or maybe just before the start) in Phoenix, Drew Carter said that the team had made clear that it was no big deal. Barring announcements to the contrary, I think we're just seeing a fig leaf put in front of him getting an R&R vacation. And I am 100% for it. Luke Kornet has frankly never looked better than the last few games. Take all the time you want, KP! 10 hours of sleep a night!
I feel like we’re not going to see a whole lot of KP down the stretch other than some games here and there to keep him in shape and I’m perfectly fine with it. Perks of being 51-14.
Should be the same with older guys like Horford and Holiday. Get them ready for a heavy playoff workload. The others should rotate games off too especially JB and JT.
With Porzingis especially it seems like time off the court and time in the gym maintaining strength and pliability would be highly beneficial.
Is it possible Jayson is using “!” like the programming operator meaning “not”?
All kidding aside I never got the impression that Grant was annoying to his teammates. Surprised me to hear Gorman saying this.
All kidding aside I never got the impression that Grant was annoying to his teammates. Surprised me to hear Gorman saying this.
Really? I don’t think he was a “bad locker room guy” but, if you gave all of those guys truth serum, I would be stunned if they all didn’t think he was annoying.
I remember the time he dressed up as Batman and his teammates, especially Tatum, seemed to get a kick out of him.
I’d be shocked if Grant wasn’t annoying as hell lol, but I think Gorman may have shot off a bit much.
Exactly. Gorman went too far but sometime what you see is what you get.
I can’t imagine players the caliber of Tatum and Brown love being “coached” during games (especially when mic’d up, which Grant couldn’t get enough of) by a guy roughly their same age and much worse at the sport.
I do like that both of them are shutting it down, even if it means Gorman looking eh. I can promise that this is the type of stuff players around the league notice.
Game #81 (Charlotte visiting) is going to be awkward for Gorman, assuming Grant is still on the team by then.
Gorman will come out with something to smooth things over - he loves Tatum especially and won’t want this to be a distraction. Both things can even be true: he might be a great teammate in being fun to be around and positive and trying to be helpful, but be a distraction and hard to focus and a bit of a clubhouse lawyer from a management and winning perspective.
Players can be annoying and still be good teammates.
Also I don't think Gorman really said he was a bad teammate, be more was insinuating that if you are annoying and if you are a bad teammate, you are not long for the league if you are an 8th/9th guy.
Also I don't think Gorman really said he was a bad teammate, be more was insinuating that if you are annoying and if you are a bad teammate, you are not long for the league if you are an 8th/9th guy.
It was clear to anyone who attended the games that Tatum and Grant were really close. Every pre-game and every warm up at halftime, they would be standing next to each other and shooting the shit. Tatum would be hoisting 3's from the corner, while Grant would pretend to be a defender (although not really defending) and putting a hand in Tatum's face as he would shoot. Then Tatum would do it for Grant. I also distinctly remember Deuce spending a lot of time with Grant during pre-game and post-game, etc. Those dudes were definitely close.
This is awesome. Will be cool to hear Abby’s in game thoughts without Scal constantly interrupting her.
View: https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1768294336016293924
View: https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1768294336016293924
Was just coming here to post that. Completely agree, tho there's a piece of me that would love Scal being the sideline reporter simply so they can cut away from him (I like Scal but think this would be fun).
This is where I am at. I am sure lots of guys found Grant's schtick annoying and probably thought he was a dork but that in no way makes him a bad teammate.
Yes. Mike said Grant was annoying and then he said that if GW got sideways with Doncic, he would be out because if a player is the 8th, 9th, or 10th player on the roster and a bad teammate, he's going to be gone - without specifically talking about Grant (in terms of being a bad teammate).
Here's the clip:
View: https://twitter.com/joemazzulla/status/1767934723240743023
Also Grant is in no way a 8th or 9th or 10th guy on just about anyone's roster. He has started nearly 50% of his games played the past 3 years.
We should also entertain the possibility that Grant was annoying to the point of being a distraction (tracks for me)and that the front office was well aware without players complaining about it. Maybe Brad made that call by himself. Or maybe the Jays had a role but want to support Grant publicly.
Everyone has had nice but overbearing colleague who can inadvertently create issues with others. These people can stick around because they are productive but it feels like a weight is lifted when they depart. This looks and feels a lot like that but who knows.
That said, if you lose Mike...
Everyone has had nice but overbearing colleague who can inadvertently create issues with others. These people can stick around because they are productive but it feels like a weight is lifted when they depart. This looks and feels a lot like that but who knows.
That said, if you lose Mike...
I think that Mike spoke casually and is probably shocked at how his words were interpreted.
Grant is an irreverent smartass. Most people don't have a problem with that. Not surprised that Kyrie did and maybe Doncic. Probably doesn't help that Dallas is a mire of underperforming suck and has been for years. If you listen to the hoop twitterverse, Doncic is an MVP candidate and Kyrie is a top-10 player, and somehow the team is a +1.5 and currently in the play-in tournament again. It's only because the bottom of both conferences are such garbage that they're guaranteed to at least make the tourney and probably the playoffs outright. Another year of playoff disappointment for the Big D and Kyrie might shoot his way out of town and end up on his fifth team (about .4 on the Ish Smith scale).
Meanwhile, this will apparently be one of Amina Smith's last games:
View: https://twitter.com/GlobeChadFinn/status/1768337432687108163?s=20
@GlobeChadFinn
Amina Smith (@aminajadeTV), who has spent the last three years as a Celtics and Patriots studio host at NBC Sports Boston, is leaving for ESPN. Her last day is March 20.
Amina Smith is leaving NBC Sports Boston for ESPN and her last day is March 20th. I really liked here as a host. Tom Giles is taking over for the rest of the year after she leaves.
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It's crazy how good the Celtics offense is. Offense is way up this year relative to last year, but:
2022-23 best offense:
Sacramento: 120.0
2023-24 2nd best offense:
Indiana: 121.3
So better, but just by a point. The 2023 Kings would be right at home here.
However, the 2023-24 best offense:
Boston Celtics: 123.74
That is completely bonkers. They're 2.5 points better than the 2nd best team, in a year where the 2nd best team is already historic. 123.7 isn't real: those are transition numbers, but for a full game.
(Everything cited is from basketball-reference, but Cleaning the Glass is similar).
I'm off the "Tatum for MVP" bandwagon, but I do think what he provides offensively has to be evaluated in the context of how ridiculously good this regular season offense is. They're probably getting close to the fundamental limits of what you can score in basketball: the average possession has the value of a 41% 3-point shot.
2022-23 best offense:
Sacramento: 120.0
2023-24 2nd best offense:
Indiana: 121.3
So better, but just by a point. The 2023 Kings would be right at home here.
However, the 2023-24 best offense:
Boston Celtics: 123.74
That is completely bonkers. They're 2.5 points better than the 2nd best team, in a year where the 2nd best team is already historic. 123.7 isn't real: those are transition numbers, but for a full game.
(Everything cited is from basketball-reference, but Cleaning the Glass is similar).
I'm off the "Tatum for MVP" bandwagon, but I do think what he provides offensively has to be evaluated in the context of how ridiculously good this regular season offense is. They're probably getting close to the fundamental limits of what you can score in basketball: the average possession has the value of a 41% 3-point shot.
Tatum gets hurt in his MVP chances because he does not have to put up monster numbers game in and game out for this team to be successful. He's on record saying he doesn't really care about individual awards and stats because the most important thing is the championship. The improvements in his game this year bear that out too.
Yeah, not here to re-litigate his MVP case (fwiw I think Jokic is very obviously the MVP, and that Tatum should be ranked way higher than he is), just noting that "Tatum is impacting the offense in a way that goes way beyond the box score" isn't just green-colored glasses.
This team's offense is crazy, ridiculously good, and is much better than those of other teams with premium collections of talent.
Yeah I was really surprised for all these pieces to fit together seamlessly. It's been beyond my wildest expectations.
If they win, and the narrative shifts, I think Tatum will start to get a ton of credit next year for what he does off the ball and as a screening non-ballhandler in their main actions.
Zach Lowe is already all over how impactful his screening game with DWhite is, and I expect that recognition to spread.
Like I’ve said, Tatum should absolutely not win mvp. Jokic is the runaway best player in the league, and it may not be that close.
But Tatum’s season is definitely underrated lol. He’s more efficient than last year pretty much across the board, just getting to the line less. He carries pretty much any lineup to double digit net ratings, and he’s been awesome defensively. He’d also be over 35% on pull-up threes if nba.com ever does the tracking for last weeks Suns game, which is pretty annoying lol.
View: https://twitter.com/lissmx14/status/1767563340455231838
Having him and Jaylen defend like they have makes everything so much easier for everyone else. Just like everyone else makes it easier for them.
But Tatum’s season is definitely underrated lol. He’s more efficient than last year pretty much across the board, just getting to the line less. He carries pretty much any lineup to double digit net ratings, and he’s been awesome defensively. He’d also be over 35% on pull-up threes if nba.com ever does the tracking for last weeks Suns game, which is pretty annoying lol.
View: https://twitter.com/lissmx14/status/1767563340455231838
Having him and Jaylen defend like they have makes everything so much easier for everyone else. Just like everyone else makes it easier for them.
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Given that Celtics let Grant go and Dallas dumped him after three months, the idea he's not an ideal fit guy seems to be on the table, at a mimimum
But I was told the Celtics don’t play well on national TV against a good team.
Wagon is back.
Wagon is back.
His three ball looks the best it’s looked in years right now. And he’s just destroying mismatches at like a KP level since the break lol.
I agree, but the counter to any Tatum MVP argument is that if you swapped out Tatum and put Durant, Booker, Kawhi, PG, etc etc. on Boston, is their record or championship aspirations all that different? Not sure I agree with that take, but it does have some merit.
And obviously the counter holds true for PHO or LAC or others that if you put Tatum in there instead of Durant or Kawhi, is their future any different?
A little anti-climatic, but C's clinch a playoff spot. Magic # for EC #1 is 7, 11 over the West.
29/6/4, with a TS% of .619 and playing excellent defense. I haven't heard anyone talk about it, but this is the guy that made 2nd team all-defense last year. Excellent to watch, especially with KP out and Tatum not playing well consistently.
I'm super looking forward to this. I usually skip pregame, might watch a bit of post if I have nothing to do, but I'm going to give both of them a listen. Also, really excited to see what Abby can bring, I think she's amazing in her role and really looking forward to her on the broadcast
This though sucks. I think she's fantastic, she's very much in the mold of Malika Andrews who's one of my favorite ESPN personalities. I wonder what they plan on using her for.
I'm probably insane, but I could see Tatum in Phoenix doing some nice things to unlock Booker and Beal. Durant is otherworldly as an iso scorer, but Tatum is so good at everything else on offense, in ways that have proven to work well with other elite scoring talent.
I would take healthy Kawhi over anyone on the planet except Jokic. The problem is adjective before Kawhi.
PG and Booker are close. I don't think they scale other guys up in quite the same way, but obviously they're amazing players.
The Cs are championship contenders if you swap Tatum out, but I don't think they're as strong favorites as they are right now.
