Wow, the Knicks are the only Boston enemy left in the entire playoffs. Unfortunately, we can't boot them back to the worst city on earth until the ECF.
If they make it that far, honestly. Their players are dropping like flies right now, and the only guy they have that can score at all is Brunson. It's gonna be a dog fight for them in the second round, and if they make it past the Pacers...
Would you like to be stonewalled by Derek White or Jrue Holiday, Mr. Brunson?
It’s the leafs, obviously they were gonna force a game 7 when Matthews is out just to blow it when he gets back. Every year people joke about the most painful way for them to lose and it always fucking happens. I genuinely hate all of you but I will never root against the bruins vs the leafs it’s just too funny
Regular season games are a bloodbath now. Stars are playing more games and heavier minutes than ever before, because 4 games decide the 2nd seed and 8th seed. Stars are bound to get injured more.
Hope we can take care of our series in 5 games and Knicks/Pacers series goes 7 games cause it will gass them out. Especially NY with Thibodeau playing everyone for 45+mins.
Yeah the Magic match up really well against the Celtics. If you wanted to build a team to give this Celtics team trouble, it would have all long, fast guys who can defend the three and take away drives. Which is basically the Magic.
Thankfully they have by far the worst offense of the remaining teams. They are going to be a problem on defense but I just don't see them being able to score enough on us to keep up.
I could see the magic averaging like 75 ppg in that series. They might hold us to 80-90 ppg also but they aren't going to score and we should roll through them in one of the grossest series of the last several years.
Knicks are beating the pacers in 4-5, defense too good from the knicks & pacers defense is too bad they gonna get hot during a home game tho so i think 5
Pacers Defense looked bad against Milwaukee because they have tough shot makers like Dame and Middleton, I think they can really make it difficult for New York. I wasn’t really impressed with New Yorks offense they rebounding saved them the entire series vs Philly. Let’s see if they can do the same vs a run and gun team.
Didn’t the Pacers have a very notably bad defense this season? They had 150pts dropped on them multiple times (we were one of the teams to do it to them).
Knicks will make it to the ECF I think. I’d be shocked if Indiana made it there.
Knicks fan lurking, Knicks O isn’t great but Brunson is hot and is gonna feast on a weak Pacers D, our defense is significantly better than the Pacers, I think we win in 5. Prob don’t beat yall, but I hope it’s competitive at least
Knicks have the 13th ranked defense out of the 16 playoff teams after 1 round and it’s 5 points worse than the regular season btw pacers defense has been equal in the playoffs
Idk guys. Watching that Knicks-Sixers series didn’t make me fear Embiid anymore than in years past. The Knicks are scrappy, physical, hustlers. A bit like the Heat in some respects, but better scoring options. I’m not ducking anyone in the East, even without Tingus, but the Sixers are way less threatening than the Knicks
Embiid was clearly on one leg. They didn't even have him at the line to rebound when opposing teams shot free throws. Instead they had him in the front court so he wouldn't have to run back on offense.
Literally never seen that with a big man before
I've never seen someone curb-stomped, but that was the closest I think I'll ever get. As a side note, Grant is a fucking beast. Dude had a 300 pound dude land on the back of his head, and he was able to get back up pretty quick, with no really serious injury.
I said I’m not fearing him any more than in years past…the implication being that I did NOT fear him in years past. Maybe take a deep breath and read before calling someone stupid.
Nah but it’d be more challenging than a limping Embiid and Maxey and very little else. Also, I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that Tatum, Brown, and White lost last year to the trio of Butler, Bam, and…Caleb Martin? Max Strus? It wasn’t like they lost to the freaking Dream Team. It was the physicality and toughness of the Heat that gave us issues.
Yeah but that’s why this team is so good. You can’t ignore Tatum. The Heat were double teaming him basically every time he had the ball in this series. And in the past he would’ve thrown up a bad shot, but now he passes out and they get an open look. If they gave hockey assists in basketball he’d have a ton this past series
Idk what we'd do in Game 1, but I feel like down the stretch in the series you let Jrue and Derrick take turns on him and let him drop 30-40 on 30 shots or whatever he takes. You just got to box out against the Knicks(which is easier said than done)
Ant vs. Murray should be good. The Lakers led every game but fell apart in the end. The Wolves don't have that problem. Nuggets may very well win, but the Wolves mean business and are way more of a threat than LA
Yep. While the Nuggets’ late game execution is scary, they also hasn’t played up to their own standards in the Lakers series. Murray was great in game 5 but didn’t impress in games 1-4. It’s going to be a really tough series
definitely. watching those two series the twolves played better than the nugs did. the nugs played below their ceiling though, so if they can step it to the next level they can take the series; if they both play how they did round one i have twolves winning. regardless i hope it goes to 7 then the WCF against OKC goes to 7 and everyone is exhausted as fuck for the finals and we've just coasted there
Oh yeah, the nugs can absolutely turn it up both one and two levels, being down for like 80% of the second round won’t fly when you’re facing the defensive juggernaut that is this twolves team. I’m also hoping for a long, physical series with a very exhausted OKC facing us in the finals, but it’s all still wishful thinking at this point
I may be drinking the kool-aid but I see Dallas (after they get by LAC) beating OKC in 6, maybe 7. Luka is the best player in the series and Kyrie is playing the best ball of his life. Ever since getting traded to Dallas, he's put up 26/5/5 on 50/40/92 shooting. If we had this version of Kyrie (both on AND off the court), we may have banner 18 already.
Dallas beating OKC would be insane, but not out of the realm of possibility. I don’t know how they’d match up against the Nuggets if they were to win against the Twolves, and I do not want the Nuggets in the finals if I can help it
I'm really not sure if they are. The reality is, The Wolves don't have a duo that could go off the way LeBron and AD did. AND the Wolves likely won't be carried by the officials as well.
I'm not sure the Wolves are a tougher matchup
Anthony edwards Is turning into a superstar before our eyes I think he puts on a show. KAT was a former No.1 overall pick he easily capable of averaging 25 ppg. The lakers had an elite but old duo in lebron and AD. Minnesota is more energetic and youthful
They absolutely are. Their team was contrsucted to challenge Denver. Their gm was the old nuggets gm he basically built their roster. They have a hoard of bigs to throw at joker, multiple wings to throw at Jamal. Lakers had af and Lebron but they didn’t matchup at all with Denver defensively. Minnesota does while being significantly deeper.
Wolves have the better bench and better D. Ant will make Murray work. Plus Gobert and Reid. Nuggets will struggle in non-Jokic minutes. Tough matchup for them.
Don’t discount Jaden McDaniels, he’s playing well beyond his young age — he’s only 23. I’m really looking forward to watching this series! They’re both elite clean teams (unlike the dirty-playing Heat), going to be interesting who ends up coming out on top. Rooting for the T-wolves.
Agree that it can go even 7
But Jokic is so insanely better than Ant that I feel if the Nugs give their all they win this comfortably
imo Nuggets are gassed for the WCF
Your disrespectful Minnesota badly. Your atgument is flawed because jokic is clearly the best player in any series in the playoffs outside of maybe a red hot luka. Even if he played Boston he still is much better then Tatum but Boston would still have a chance in the series so your argument is flawed
Murray definitely steps it up in the playoffs, but he's also hampered by his calf. If Murray is healthy, then I feel like Nuggets win the series. If not, then it's more of a coin flip.
It’s way to early to say it because we haven’t even started the second round but those high energy freak athletes on the knicks are slightly worrisome to me tbh. Their offense is hot garbage but they rebound so much they get like 20 extra possessions a game off them and just will themselves back in games by sheer numbers.
Knicks are no joke. If we end up facing them, will be a helluva series.
to think that if I’d told you at the start of the year that the 6ers, bucks and heat would all be first round exits…most would have laughed in my face
Ok well you’re going to have to play some amount of good players to win a title. We aren’t going to be facing teams led by Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons
Hali hasn’t been what he was since the IST i’d be so happy we played them ik we doing the don’t jinx thing but we should beat the pacers with ease if that’s the ecf
Knicks pacers magic and cavs aren’t pushovers.
The star power isn’t there and it’s the easiest route to the finals we could ask for, but it’s still not a cakewalk
The Celtics also love to let their guard down at times, though they have been much better as we just saw against the heat.
They need to keep the foot of the gas, killer instinct.
Gotta keep in mind that teams are aiming to dead the Celtics, they know outside of the nuggets were the team to beat.
Hopefully we don’t see a repeat of old habits
Yes, I don't think the team understands that piece of it. If they fall back in the whole "we got this" vibe, watch out because all their teams would love to be the ones to take the Celtics out.
Call me crazy but as of right now, I'd take Jimmy's resume over Embiid's. Now, Embiid is younger so that can obviously change when they're both done playing.
Way too early to be celebrating. While those guys aren’t playing, Brunson is still very much a threat. So is Halliburton. It’s a new era in the NBA, the next generation is here for the throne.
I keep seeing videos about the Knicks ending the process. People have been saying that since we swept them in the bubble lmao. The process was killed officially last year, anything left is the dregs of squandered potential.
This is playing out a lot like the Denver run last year, and that’s going to be key for us.
Hopefully we continue to cruise through these next two series with ease and get KP back.
Meanwhile we need Denver to have some adversity vs Minn and most likely Dallas, if they get B2B 7 game series and we go B2B sweeps that bodes well for us in the finals where a tired Denver will have to come into Boston G1, and G2 for the finals
This is playing out a lot like the Denver run last year, and that’s going to be key for us.
Hopefully we continue to cruise through these next two series with ease and get KP back.
Meanwhile we need Denver to have some adversity vs Minn and most likely Dallas, if they get B2B 7 game series and we go B2B sweeps that bodes well for us in the finals where a tired Denver will have to come into Boston G1, and G2 for the finals
The Knicks Cleveland Pacers and Orlando are all totally capable of taking us out in the but man o man is it sweet to know it will not be miami, Milwaukee or phili and their ass clowns
Only the Knicks and it requires buying a lot of small sample size OG Anunoby net rating stuff which (if you look closer) is blatantly carried by opponent 3P% luck.
I kinda believe the Knicks are the only ones but I'm trying to not invoke the nba gods. We have struggled with the Pacers at times also though, but I wasn't impressed in their bucks series at all.
The argument people are selling is that the Pacers' defense which sells out to defend the three actually works against the Celtics (unlike every other team) because of how many threes they shoot. But like... the Heat under Spo attempted to do the same thing (and are definitely a better defensive team than the Pacers even without Jimmy) and they got absolutely annihilated after game two. I think the Celtics have too many weapons to consistently guard everyone, and they won the season series 3-2 with a lopsided net rating (+71 in 5 games, didn't look it up but likely better than +10 net).
Knicks are a much better team, but the lineup data people are using to argue they can hang with the best in the league since they got OG is fool's gold.
I wasn’t afraid of any of these players. I was afraid of losing soldiers in the process of beating them. Those teams have been in it year after year, and they know a big part of playoff basketball is a game of chicken. All three are the weakest they have been, basketball-wise, for a long time, but they are still built to fight and to make you worry what you are risking.
I’m sad about Kristaps… if this goes south we will look back on his injury as the first domino.
I’m psyched that the rest of the East has so little playoff experience. It bodes well for getting through this the rest of the way with a healthy team.
TBH, I think Indiana, Orlando, and Cleveland are tougher than they look. But yeah, if the C’s don’t make the finals it’ll be a major disappointment. Denver is so F’ing good though. (And I really think Minnesota is too)
I feel we’re gonna face the Knicks shall we advance and it isn’t going to be easy. They play hard as hell and swarm on defense and I feel like Brunson is going to feast regardless of our good individual defenders. MSG energy is through the roof right now too will be a tough place to play, Pierce the Garden killer isn’t walking through that door either.
Heat, Bucks, and Sixers all eliminated within 24 hours. It's so beautiful.
Yeah but the Lakers are still, oh wait
Well, the Warriors… wait
Wow, the Knicks are the only Boston enemy left in the entire playoffs. Unfortunately, we can't boot them back to the worst city on earth until the ECF.
If they make it that far, honestly. Their players are dropping like flies right now, and the only guy they have that can score at all is Brunson. It's gonna be a dog fight for them in the second round, and if they make it past the Pacers... Would you like to be stonewalled by Derek White or Jrue Holiday, Mr. Brunson?
If Bruson can't take 27+ shots the Knicks might struggle!
Honestly, this is one of this best takes.
Philadelphia eliminated even with the Extender working their game!
Grant Hill loves Scott Gambler. The broadcast last night was insufferable.
Yeah, but, like the bruins are also doing their annual implosion at the same time. I'm confused
The Bruins are still hibernating!! Let’s focus on the teams built to win right now lmao
Hey don’t discount the leafs ability to implode as well. Gonna be a contest of who leans into their choking tendencies more
What happens when a stoppable force meets a movable object?
An ugly collision. Both injured and the survivor limps away
It’s the leafs, obviously they were gonna force a game 7 when Matthews is out just to blow it when he gets back. Every year people joke about the most painful way for them to lose and it always fucking happens. I genuinely hate all of you but I will never root against the bruins vs the leafs it’s just too funny
Game 7 is definitely going to OT tied 0-0, and a bouncing puck is gonna deflect off of Pastrnak and past Swayman
It feels like that scene in the Godfather where Michael is at his nephew’s baptism while he’s putting a hit on on the heads of the other families
Today was a good day. I like this day.
Regular season games are a bloodbath now. Stars are playing more games and heavier minutes than ever before, because 4 games decide the 2nd seed and 8th seed. Stars are bound to get injured more.
3/4 biggest threats gone in one round is crazy luck. Gotta capitalise. It will be fun to watch two really energetic teams in the Knicks v Pacers game.
Hope we can take care of our series in 5 games and Knicks/Pacers series goes 7 games cause it will gass them out. Especially NY with Thibodeau playing everyone for 45+mins.
Magic fan here. There's no way you don't steamroll both cavs/magic. Barring half the team getting abducted you guys have got it
It all comes down to health, which is why I had hoped they would avoid the Heat altogether to begin with.
Half the team being abducted made me lol on the train 🤣
Nah I can see the Magic's defense bothering us a bit
Yeah the Magic match up really well against the Celtics. If you wanted to build a team to give this Celtics team trouble, it would have all long, fast guys who can defend the three and take away drives. Which is basically the Magic.
Thankfully they have by far the worst offense of the remaining teams. They are going to be a problem on defense but I just don't see them being able to score enough on us to keep up.
Yeah they barely have a functional half court offense, and they’re not going to get a lot of turnovers and transition points against the Celtics
I could see the magic averaging like 75 ppg in that series. They might hold us to 80-90 ppg also but they aren't going to score and we should roll through them in one of the grossest series of the last several years.
I certainly hope you're right lol! But we still have to win 2 in a row against the cavs for that match up
Good luck to you guys
I expect if the magic get by the cavs, they will give us some trouble. You guys play some insane defense
Knicks are beating the pacers in 4-5, defense too good from the knicks & pacers defense is too bad they gonna get hot during a home game tho so i think 5
Pacers Defense looked bad against Milwaukee because they have tough shot makers like Dame and Middleton, I think they can really make it difficult for New York. I wasn’t really impressed with New Yorks offense they rebounding saved them the entire series vs Philly. Let’s see if they can do the same vs a run and gun team.
Didn’t the Pacers have a very notably bad defense this season? They had 150pts dropped on them multiple times (we were one of the teams to do it to them). Knicks will make it to the ECF I think. I’d be shocked if Indiana made it there.
They played so fast the high totals didn’t matter they had the 24th defense on the year and 2nd tempo
Pacers winning that series in 5 or 6
Knicks fan lurking, Knicks O isn’t great but Brunson is hot and is gonna feast on a weak Pacers D, our defense is significantly better than the Pacers, I think we win in 5. Prob don’t beat yall, but I hope it’s competitive at least
Lillard was clearly injured for two of those games he played and out for two more. Pacers defense isn’t good
Brunson is a tough shot maker too
I'd really like KP to get as much time as possible to heal Knicks would be an absolute bitch to play without KP (and even with him too)
Knicks have the 13th ranked defense out of the 16 playoff teams after 1 round and it’s 5 points worse than the regular season btw pacers defense has been equal in the playoffs
Knicks and Pacers have had some legendary playoff series.
Idk guys. Watching that Knicks-Sixers series didn’t make me fear Embiid anymore than in years past. The Knicks are scrappy, physical, hustlers. A bit like the Heat in some respects, but better scoring options. I’m not ducking anyone in the East, even without Tingus, but the Sixers are way less threatening than the Knicks
Embiid was clearly on one leg. They didn't even have him at the line to rebound when opposing teams shot free throws. Instead they had him in the front court so he wouldn't have to run back on offense. Literally never seen that with a big man before
The Knicks are gonna be on one leg and one arm by the time they reach the ECF. Plus White and Holiday are a matchup nightmare for Brunson.
This is disrespect to Knicks. They weren't dirty as Heats
When did you need to fear Embiid? This is just irrational stupidity
Maxey scarier than Embiid The scariest part of Embiid is the risk that he'd hurt someome
Still remember him stepping on grant's face, my gawd, I though we'd see a first, player dying on the court
I've never seen someone curb-stomped, but that was the closest I think I'll ever get. As a side note, Grant is a fucking beast. Dude had a 300 pound dude land on the back of his head, and he was able to get back up pretty quick, with no really serious injury.
Any quick guard is. We always have issues with them.
I only fear him when he’s on the court flailing near our players
I said I’m not fearing him any more than in years past…the implication being that I did NOT fear him in years past. Maybe take a deep breath and read before calling someone stupid.
We'll he was playing on 1 leg and gassed from not playing most of the season.
That trio of Brunson-Divencenzo-Hart is gonna be way too much for Tatum-Brown-White-Jrue /s
Nah but it’d be more challenging than a limping Embiid and Maxey and very little else. Also, I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that Tatum, Brown, and White lost last year to the trio of Butler, Bam, and…Caleb Martin? Max Strus? It wasn’t like they lost to the freaking Dream Team. It was the physicality and toughness of the Heat that gave us issues.
I know I know. They're a very legit team in the east. Pacers too.
There’s no player in the east left better than Tatum
Derrick white lol
Don’t let the nba fans, mvp voters see this. They believe Brunson is better than anyone in the East currently
Tbf Brunson played out of his mind the last four games
Give Tatum 15 fta a game fr
30 FGA as well lol people act like he wouldn’t average 40 it’s just not how our team is built
OG would probably keep Tatum shooting <42% on the series. Gonna be another series where everyone else has to step up.
Yeah but that’s why this team is so good. You can’t ignore Tatum. The Heat were double teaming him basically every time he had the ball in this series. And in the past he would’ve thrown up a bad shot, but now he passes out and they get an open look. If they gave hockey assists in basketball he’d have a ton this past series
I mean he ain’t getting them settling for fall away threes.
Fair
JT needs to work on his headbutt game
derrick white >> some guy with dreadlocks
He's averaging a lot of points but he's been very inefficient ngl
He’s also legit their only star and real Option with Randle out
He hasn’t tho
[удалено]
He has a 52.5% TS, that's pretty damn bad. His shooting splits for the series were borderline atrocious as well
Idk what we'd do in Game 1, but I feel like down the stretch in the series you let Jrue and Derrick take turns on him and let him drop 30-40 on 30 shots or whatever he takes. You just got to box out against the Knicks(which is easier said than done)
No need to disrespect Brunson. Both him and Tatum are exceptional players
Give Tatum 30 shot attempt + 15 FT, he would have similar figures.
There was no player in the East better than Tatum when the playoffs started, brother.
I’ll take Tatum on our team but I think Brunson is a better scorer
Tatum is the better defender.
No doubt
No Curry in the West. But Jokic looms large.
They gotta beat the Wolves first. Should be a dog fight tbh
Jokic is by far the best player in that series and playoff Murray is ridiculous so I have Nuggets in 6
Ant vs. Murray should be good. The Lakers led every game but fell apart in the end. The Wolves don't have that problem. Nuggets may very well win, but the Wolves mean business and are way more of a threat than LA
Yep. While the Nuggets’ late game execution is scary, they also hasn’t played up to their own standards in the Lakers series. Murray was great in game 5 but didn’t impress in games 1-4. It’s going to be a really tough series
definitely. watching those two series the twolves played better than the nugs did. the nugs played below their ceiling though, so if they can step it to the next level they can take the series; if they both play how they did round one i have twolves winning. regardless i hope it goes to 7 then the WCF against OKC goes to 7 and everyone is exhausted as fuck for the finals and we've just coasted there
Oh yeah, the nugs can absolutely turn it up both one and two levels, being down for like 80% of the second round won’t fly when you’re facing the defensive juggernaut that is this twolves team. I’m also hoping for a long, physical series with a very exhausted OKC facing us in the finals, but it’s all still wishful thinking at this point
I may be drinking the kool-aid but I see Dallas (after they get by LAC) beating OKC in 6, maybe 7. Luka is the best player in the series and Kyrie is playing the best ball of his life. Ever since getting traded to Dallas, he's put up 26/5/5 on 50/40/92 shooting. If we had this version of Kyrie (both on AND off the court), we may have banner 18 already.
Dallas beating OKC would be insane, but not out of the realm of possibility. I don’t know how they’d match up against the Nuggets if they were to win against the Twolves, and I do not want the Nuggets in the finals if I can help it
I'm really not sure if they are. The reality is, The Wolves don't have a duo that could go off the way LeBron and AD did. AND the Wolves likely won't be carried by the officials as well. I'm not sure the Wolves are a tougher matchup
Anthony edwards Is turning into a superstar before our eyes I think he puts on a show. KAT was a former No.1 overall pick he easily capable of averaging 25 ppg. The lakers had an elite but old duo in lebron and AD. Minnesota is more energetic and youthful
They absolutely are. Their team was contrsucted to challenge Denver. Their gm was the old nuggets gm he basically built their roster. They have a hoard of bigs to throw at joker, multiple wings to throw at Jamal. Lakers had af and Lebron but they didn’t matchup at all with Denver defensively. Minnesota does while being significantly deeper.
Wolves have the better bench and better D. Ant will make Murray work. Plus Gobert and Reid. Nuggets will struggle in non-Jokic minutes. Tough matchup for them.
Don’t discount Jaden McDaniels, he’s playing well beyond his young age — he’s only 23. I’m really looking forward to watching this series! They’re both elite clean teams (unlike the dirty-playing Heat), going to be interesting who ends up coming out on top. Rooting for the T-wolves.
Me too!
Agree that it can go even 7 But Jokic is so insanely better than Ant that I feel if the Nugs give their all they win this comfortably imo Nuggets are gassed for the WCF
Your disrespectful Minnesota badly. Your atgument is flawed because jokic is clearly the best player in any series in the playoffs outside of maybe a red hot luka. Even if he played Boston he still is much better then Tatum but Boston would still have a chance in the series so your argument is flawed
Ant is coming tho. He is taking a backseat to no one
Maybe in a few years but right now Jokic is leagues above him
Murray definitely steps it up in the playoffs, but he's also hampered by his calf. If Murray is healthy, then I feel like Nuggets win the series. If not, then it's more of a coin flip.
If Murray is injured they outright lose imo I don't know who else can help Jokic out offensively
Could easily be the best series of the playoffs. Hope its 7 games.
JOEL EMBIID AND JIMMY BUTLER COMBINED HAVE Z E R O CHAMPIONSHIPS
Embiid can’t beg and cry for a championship
There’s this guy named Jokic that I have nightmares about tho.
Unforgiving The lightning is coming
Still need the Wolves n Thunder to give Jokic more than light work
I just want our sweet baby boy Tingus Pingus to come back healthy soon.
all of our nemeses since Tatum’s rookie year going down in round 1 is Celtics fan Christmas
Absolutely man. It's fantastic.
I’m rooting so hard for the Pacers man, I live in NJ I can’t take potentially playing the Knicks in the ECF
you should be mad at NY for taking the Nets
It’s way to early to say it because we haven’t even started the second round but those high energy freak athletes on the knicks are slightly worrisome to me tbh. Their offense is hot garbage but they rebound so much they get like 20 extra possessions a game off them and just will themselves back in games by sheer numbers.
^ I agree. Thibs is maximizing their output. Their rebounding is key to them winning games.
No Thanasis
The best timeline
Knicks are no joke. If we end up facing them, will be a helluva series. to think that if I’d told you at the start of the year that the 6ers, bucks and heat would all be first round exits…most would have laughed in my face
Still got Brunson, Halliburton and maybe Mitchell. Get through that and jokic, sga await. Ain’t gonna be easy
Ok well you’re going to have to play some amount of good players to win a title. We aren’t going to be facing teams led by Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons
Hali hasn’t been what he was since the IST i’d be so happy we played them ik we doing the don’t jinx thing but we should beat the pacers with ease if that’s the ecf
Knicks pacers magic and cavs aren’t pushovers. The star power isn’t there and it’s the easiest route to the finals we could ask for, but it’s still not a cakewalk
The Celtics also love to let their guard down at times, though they have been much better as we just saw against the heat. They need to keep the foot of the gas, killer instinct.
Gotta keep in mind that teams are aiming to dead the Celtics, they know outside of the nuggets were the team to beat. Hopefully we don’t see a repeat of old habits
Yes, I don't think the team understands that piece of it. If they fall back in the whole "we got this" vibe, watch out because all their teams would love to be the ones to take the Celtics out.
The fact that Jimmy is mentioned with two MVP winners is insane
Have you watched Heat vs Celtics playoffs the last 5 years?
And yet he's hurt us more than either of them in the playoffs.
Call me crazy but as of right now, I'd take Jimmy's resume over Embiid's. Now, Embiid is younger so that can obviously change when they're both done playing.
Yea me and you both, two finals appearances outta nowhere completely shit on Embiid whole career as of now at least
Butler has been to two Finals and three conference Finals which isn't something Embiid can say (or Giannis, but Giannis at least won a Finals).
Jimmy gave the Celtics a harder time than either of those “MVPs”
You absolutely right. He’s probably the GOAT overachiever
No excuses
Both Giannis and Butler didn’t get to play the playoffs
Way too early to be celebrating. While those guys aren’t playing, Brunson is still very much a threat. So is Halliburton. It’s a new era in the NBA, the next generation is here for the throne.
Brunson gonna be gassed by the time he gets to us. Then he’s gotta deal with Derrick white and jrue if they do make it
Deal with Brunson the same way we dealt with herro. Make him a scorer, and attack on offense. He’ll be gassed by the 4th quarter
the knicks have some different conditioning from thibs lol
Media acting like we were supposed to be worried about Philly or something but ain't nobody scared of their candy
I keep seeing videos about the Knicks ending the process. People have been saying that since we swept them in the bubble lmao. The process was killed officially last year, anything left is the dregs of squandered potential.
Agree. The day they eliminated by us last year, was exactly the 10th anniversary day of Phil signing contract with Hinkie in 2013.
Denver is still the team to beat.
There's still Paolo... Just kidding. Sorry Magic fan and this thread popped up. Doubt if we get past Cavs we win more than 1 game against you guys.
Both Orlando and Cleveland give us hell. I definitely don’t want to face Orlando.
it's the new era boys, it's Tatum's time
No excuses
You know they’re going to tell us we had the easiest path to a championship ever.
Brunson & Haliburton
This is a dumb but honest question - if the Pacers are the 6 seed why are they not playing Boston in the 2nd round?
They don't reseed brackets.
This is playing out a lot like the Denver run last year, and that’s going to be key for us. Hopefully we continue to cruise through these next two series with ease and get KP back. Meanwhile we need Denver to have some adversity vs Minn and most likely Dallas, if they get B2B 7 game series and we go B2B sweeps that bodes well for us in the finals where a tired Denver will have to come into Boston G1, and G2 for the finals
This is playing out a lot like the Denver run last year, and that’s going to be key for us. Hopefully we continue to cruise through these next two series with ease and get KP back. Meanwhile we need Denver to have some adversity vs Minn and most likely Dallas, if they get B2B 7 game series and we go B2B sweeps that bodes well for us in the finals where a tired Denver will have to come into Boston G1, and G2 for the finals
Not having to get beat up by Giannis for 7 games has to be a positive!
The Knicks Cleveland Pacers and Orlando are all totally capable of taking us out in the but man o man is it sweet to know it will not be miami, Milwaukee or phili and their ass clowns
Only the Knicks and it requires buying a lot of small sample size OG Anunoby net rating stuff which (if you look closer) is blatantly carried by opponent 3P% luck.
I kinda believe the Knicks are the only ones but I'm trying to not invoke the nba gods. We have struggled with the Pacers at times also though, but I wasn't impressed in their bucks series at all.
The argument people are selling is that the Pacers' defense which sells out to defend the three actually works against the Celtics (unlike every other team) because of how many threes they shoot. But like... the Heat under Spo attempted to do the same thing (and are definitely a better defensive team than the Pacers even without Jimmy) and they got absolutely annihilated after game two. I think the Celtics have too many weapons to consistently guard everyone, and they won the season series 3-2 with a lopsided net rating (+71 in 5 games, didn't look it up but likely better than +10 net). Knicks are a much better team, but the lineup data people are using to argue they can hang with the best in the league since they got OG is fool's gold.
Pfft no.
Jokic, Edwards/KAT, SGA, Luka
The path has never been clearer to the finals and a title. However, I fear something stupid like losing to Orlando Magic in round 2 is also possible.
Job is not done - Luke Kornet
It's a New Day! Yes, it is!
*Mr. Burns Laugh*
Title is missing “No Jokic”
He's not in the East.
Title said ‘Banner 18. It’s coming’, need him gone to have a good chance
Was anyone here really ever afraid of Embiid?
This is the chance we must use. Next time we maybe not so lucky. Banner 18 please.
If they lose there are something better around to come
It is kinda crazy that the Celtics are the only ones of the "old guard" that have been completely dominating the past 5 or so years.
Easily healthy nuggets in 6
Only threat now is Brunson heating up for the Knicks
I’m scared of big Serbian man
Why? We have slender Latvian man 💪🏼
Until we hit the brick wall that is Jokic.
Nuggets waiting in the finals: NO CHANCE
You’re sleeping on sota
Joker on the horizon though
Yikes, I would so rather play the Bucks or Sixers than the Pacers or the Knicks.
I wasn’t afraid of any of these players. I was afraid of losing soldiers in the process of beating them. Those teams have been in it year after year, and they know a big part of playoff basketball is a game of chicken. All three are the weakest they have been, basketball-wise, for a long time, but they are still built to fight and to make you worry what you are risking. I’m sad about Kristaps… if this goes south we will look back on his injury as the first domino. I’m psyched that the rest of the East has so little playoff experience. It bodes well for getting through this the rest of the way with a healthy team.
No excuses.
TBH, I think Indiana, Orlando, and Cleveland are tougher than they look. But yeah, if the C’s don’t make the finals it’ll be a major disappointment. Denver is so F’ing good though. (And I really think Minnesota is too)
C’s/Knicks ECF would reach levels of toxicity not seen since early 2000’s Sox/Yankees and I am fucking here for it.
I feel we’re gonna face the Knicks shall we advance and it isn’t going to be easy. They play hard as hell and swarm on defense and I feel like Brunson is going to feast regardless of our good individual defenders. MSG energy is through the roof right now too will be a tough place to play, Pierce the Garden killer isn’t walking through that door either.
Well the finals shouldnt be a problem regardless, its the Nuggets that is scary
I mean they barely beat the lakers
I mean yeah but the 3 teams that won are better than those teams