ESPN projects Boston Celtics as less likely to dethrone Golden State Warriors than 14 other NBA teams
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ESPN projects Boston Celtics as less likely to dethrone Golden State Warriors than 14 other NBA teams
http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2017/10/espn_projects_boston_celtics_a.html
ESPN projects Boston Celtics as less likely to dethrone Golden State Warriors than 14 other NBA teams
Updated on October 10, 2017 at 2:46 PM
Posted on October 10, 2017 at 2:45 PM
By Tom Westerholm
Earlier today, ESPN released a different kind of preseason power rankings: Projecting and ranking every team's chances of beating the Golden State Warriors. Two of ESPN's smarter writers -- Tom Haberstroh and Kevin Pelton -- adjusted their RPM stats to try to figure out who could put up the biggest fight against Golden State.
The results, especially for the Boston Celtics, were ... a little surprising.
Here's ESPN's list, up until the Celtics:
1. Golden State Warriors: Well, fair enough. The Warriors could beat the Warriors.
2. Houston Rockets: Again, fair enough. Houston could get hot and bomb just about any team out of the building. Might not be likely against Golden State, but it's not impossible.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Of course. Cleveland has LeBron James. They have as good a chance as anyone.
4. San Antonio Spurs: Yep, no problems here. San Antonio destroyed Golden State in the first game of last season and was on pace to route them in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals before Kawhi Leonard got injured.
5. Los Angeles Clippers: I ... guess? Pat Beverley is a nice pick up, and he will make life less comfortable for Steph Curry. Danilo Gallinari is good when he's healthy. Blake Griffin in a 1A star role will be intriguing.
Let's start skipping down a bit ...
8. Oklahoma City Thunder: This seems low!
10. Miami Heat: The team that chased (and didn't get) the star free agent who signed with the Celtics?
13. Utah Jazz: The team that lost its star free agent to the Celtics?
14. Charlotte Hornets: Hmm.
15. New Orleans Pelicans: Hmmmm.
And at No. 16: The Boston Celtics. ESPN projects that Boston would be outscored by 7.5 points on a neutral court against the Warriors, which -- per Pelton and Haberstroh -- gives the Celtics a 26.9 percent chance of victory.
We should note, again, that these rankings are based on RPM stats, not on any one person making picks. The Celtics are very difficult to project mathematically, since almost their entire team was playing elsewhere under different circumstances last year. Kyrie Irving was essentially a two-guard, slotted in as an isolation player next to LeBron James. Gordon Hayward was a top offensive option playing for a mid-level Western Conference playoff team. Jayson Tatum was at Duke.
Still, the Celtics have reason to believe they could at least push Golden State. The team is made up of switchable players who can guard multiple positions -- a must against a potent Warriors offense. They also have Irving, who has proven deep into the playoffs that he can burn even the Warriors' stifling defense when his team needs a bucket.
The Warriors are (and should be) heavily favored against just about every team, but the Celtics have players that make life difficult on paper. We will see whether that proves true.
bob
.
ESPN projects Boston Celtics as less likely to dethrone Golden State Warriors than 14 other NBA teams
Updated on October 10, 2017 at 2:46 PM
Posted on October 10, 2017 at 2:45 PM
By Tom Westerholm
Earlier today, ESPN released a different kind of preseason power rankings: Projecting and ranking every team's chances of beating the Golden State Warriors. Two of ESPN's smarter writers -- Tom Haberstroh and Kevin Pelton -- adjusted their RPM stats to try to figure out who could put up the biggest fight against Golden State.
The results, especially for the Boston Celtics, were ... a little surprising.
Here's ESPN's list, up until the Celtics:
1. Golden State Warriors: Well, fair enough. The Warriors could beat the Warriors.
2. Houston Rockets: Again, fair enough. Houston could get hot and bomb just about any team out of the building. Might not be likely against Golden State, but it's not impossible.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Of course. Cleveland has LeBron James. They have as good a chance as anyone.
4. San Antonio Spurs: Yep, no problems here. San Antonio destroyed Golden State in the first game of last season and was on pace to route them in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals before Kawhi Leonard got injured.
5. Los Angeles Clippers: I ... guess? Pat Beverley is a nice pick up, and he will make life less comfortable for Steph Curry. Danilo Gallinari is good when he's healthy. Blake Griffin in a 1A star role will be intriguing.
Let's start skipping down a bit ...
8. Oklahoma City Thunder: This seems low!
10. Miami Heat: The team that chased (and didn't get) the star free agent who signed with the Celtics?
13. Utah Jazz: The team that lost its star free agent to the Celtics?
14. Charlotte Hornets: Hmm.
15. New Orleans Pelicans: Hmmmm.
And at No. 16: The Boston Celtics. ESPN projects that Boston would be outscored by 7.5 points on a neutral court against the Warriors, which -- per Pelton and Haberstroh -- gives the Celtics a 26.9 percent chance of victory.
We should note, again, that these rankings are based on RPM stats, not on any one person making picks. The Celtics are very difficult to project mathematically, since almost their entire team was playing elsewhere under different circumstances last year. Kyrie Irving was essentially a two-guard, slotted in as an isolation player next to LeBron James. Gordon Hayward was a top offensive option playing for a mid-level Western Conference playoff team. Jayson Tatum was at Duke.
Still, the Celtics have reason to believe they could at least push Golden State. The team is made up of switchable players who can guard multiple positions -- a must against a potent Warriors offense. They also have Irving, who has proven deep into the playoffs that he can burn even the Warriors' stifling defense when his team needs a bucket.
The Warriors are (and should be) heavily favored against just about every team, but the Celtics have players that make life difficult on paper. We will see whether that proves true.
bob
.
bobheckler- Posts : 61052
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: ESPN projects Boston Celtics as less likely to dethrone Golden State Warriors than 14 other NBA teams
Lol... prognosticators are in for a surprise.
KJ
KJ
k_j_88- Posts : 4747
Join date : 2013-01-06
Age : 35
Re: ESPN projects Boston Celtics as less likely to dethrone Golden State Warriors than 14 other NBA teams
That's silly. Houston is incredibly over-rated. OKC even more so; it doesn't matter who they signed since their whole offense will still be based on Westbrook iso's, which is perhaps the easiest offensive strategy to defend against. Whatever the basis for the rankings is, it doesn't seem very good....
Shamrock1000- Posts : 2702
Join date : 2013-08-19
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