The Celtics' trophy case

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics/2016/04/the_celtics_trophy_case




The Celtics' trophy case



Steve Bulpett Sunday, April 10, 2016






Credit: Associated Press
GOLDEN MOMENT: Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach, who started the franchise’s winning tradition, holds the 1986 championship trophy at a City Hall Plaza celebration.


 
When the Celtics gather three championship teams to mark anniversaries this week, it will be a chance to celebrate the 1966, 1976 and 1986 NBA title squads.

It will also be an opportunity for followers of the franchise to celebrate their good fortune.

Only the Lakers have proven nearly as dominant, and if you want to talk city bragging rights alone, Boston has it strongly over Los Angeles, with five of the Lakers’ 16 championships won in Minneapolis during the first six years of the league.

This is not in any way to deny any fan’s given right to complain about bad draft picks or trading Kendrick Perkins when there was no certainty that Shaquille O’Neal could hold up physically. Living in the moment is more than acceptable — particularly when those moments cost so much to witness in person.

But the Celtics hold a 17-16 championship lead over the Lakers, and, by any measure, it looks as though even if the C’s stagnate for a while, the L.A. lads won’t be closing that gap any time soon.

And what about the rest of the NBA? The Michael Jordans . . . er, Bulls are next in line with six titles, and if San Antonio comes through again this season, it will bring that club to the half-dozen mark, as well.

Elsewhere, the times have been far leaner. For all the glory attributed to New York and the Knicks, we’re talking a grand total of two NBA championships — 1970 and ’73.

The discrepancy between the Celts and others was driven home two weeks ago when they were in Phoenix. On that Saturday night, the Suns honored the most storied edition in franchise history, the 1976 “Sunderella” Suns. That team lost the NBA Finals in six games to the Celtics.

The most storied game in Phoenix franchise history was the triple-overtime fifth game of that 1976 series — which the Suns lost, 128-126.

This is not to knock Phoenix, which has been a generally exemplary club since joining the league for the 1968-69 season. It’s more to point out that even the dry times here are easier to take in perspective when considering what it would be like to follow the Rochester Royals, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City-Omaha Kings, Kansas City Kings, Sacramento Kings — who nearly moved to Seattle a couple of years ago.

That there has been just one Celtics championship since 1986 is considered fairly catastrophic in these parts. In many other cities, the honeymoon would still be rockin’.

And so it is that the Celtics will get to honor three title teams in anniversary multiples of 10. Considering how the club has always held tight its ties to previous generations, there won’t need to be many introductions among players of different eras. And one of Brad Stevens’ first acts was to fire off a letter to all franchise alumni inviting them to be a part of the current squads whenever they are around.

While other teams have used similar tactics to reach out to former players, it may be easier in Boston because there are mainly good times to remember.

The only thing that could have been better from a Celtics standpoint is if Oklahoma City were on the schedule tomorrow or Wednesday.

Seeing Bill Russell and John Havlicek and Sam Jones and Kevin McHale and the others — and how they are received — would make for an interesting recruiting pitch to Kevin Durant, eh?

This week’s
C’s timeline

Tomorrow, vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. — More should be known about the Eastern Conference seeding after last night’s games, but the Celtics came into the weekend in good shape against the Hornets. The teams had just three meeting slated this season, and the C’s clinched the season series by winning both affairs in Charlotte. The games came 11 days apart in December, with the Celts taking the first, 98-93, and the second, 102-89. But the Hornets were a sub-.500 team into February before coming on strong.

Wednesday, vs. Miami, 8 p.m. — The Celtics are in a similar position with the Heat. They play Miami three times and have the tiebreaker by winning the first two — 105-95 in Florida on Nov. 30 and 101-89 in Boston on Feb. 27. That first game was important, coming the night after a bad loss in Orlando. The second was part of a five-game win streak.

THE LAST IMPRESSION: KOBE’S INFLUENCE WAS FELT (ALMOST) EVERYWHERE

There was certainly more than a basketball game going on last Sunday night when the Celtics met the retiring Kobe Bryant for the last time. A number of players talked of how important Bryant was to them and their peers growing up.

But that wasn’t the case everywhere.

“In Sweden, no (form of) basketball is really big,” Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko said. “(Bryant) is maybe the best player in my generation, but back home it doesn’t matter what you do if you play basketball. You’ve got to play hockey.”

Hockey’s bigger than hoop in Canada, as well, but Kelly Olynyk said Kobe is still a major deal north of the border.

“He’s a really big part of the game, the evolution of the game, making the game what it is today,” Olynyk said. “For the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, it’s definitely the end of an era.

“You just have to kind of appreciate everything he’s done for the game and what he’s been able to accomplish and how he’s been able to do it.”



bob



.

Bob

how does this alone give us the tiebreaker if we loose to them tomorrow and we are still tied in the standings?

Wednesday, vs. Miami, 8 p.m. — The Celtics are in a similar position with the Heat. They play Miami three times and have the tiebreaker by winning the first two — 105-95 in Florida on Nov. 30 and 101-89 in Boston on Feb. 27. That first game was important, coming the night after a bad loss in Orlando. The second was part of a five-game win streak.


beat

beat wrote:Bob

how does this alone give us the tiebreaker if we loose to them tomorrow and we are still tied in the standings?

Wednesday, vs. Miami, 8 p.m. — The Celtics are in a similar position with the Heat. They play Miami three times and have the tiebreaker by winning the first two — 105-95 in Florida on Nov. 30 and 101-89 in Boston on Feb. 27. That first game was important, coming the night after a bad loss in Orlando. The second was part of a five-game win streak.


beat

beat,

I was talking to Steve3344 the other night after the Atlanta game.  He said The Magic Number is 2.  That means that if we beat Charlotte tonight then Miami has to win out.

Good news, the game against Miami on Wednesday is their 2nd game of a back-to-back.  They are playing in Detroit on Tuesday.  Detroit is tied with Indy, but are in 8th.  The Pacers have a game against the Knicks Tuesday and finish on the road vs Bucks.  Detroit finishes in Cleveland on Wednesday.  If Indy wins vs Knicks (likely) and if Detroit beats Miami then it will boil down to Wednesday's games for Detroit.  SO, hopefully, Detroit will feel they have something to play for, still, when they host Miami tomorrow and sticks it to them good or, at least, forces them to play their starters big minutes so they are fatigued for us.

I haven't been used to saying this since the '80s, but, GO PISTONS!!


bob


.

It still makes little sense to me. if Miami loses to the pistons but beats us....and.we beat the bobcats this eve. We then have identical records both division and conference records are identical too. So who gets the 4th seed? You seem to indicate the C's have the advantage .................

So what is the tiebreaker?


beat

Found this...................


Playoff Tie-Break Procedures

Teams 1 to 4 in each conference are the three division winners and the team with the next best regular-season record, with the seeding of these four teams determined by regular-season record. The playoffs seedings of Teams 5 to 8 are based upon regular-season record. Ties are broken pursuant to the rules set forth below.

Ties for playoff positions (including division winners) will be broken utilizing the criteria set forth in subparagraph a. below (in the case of ties involving two teams) and subparagraph b. below (in the case of ties involving more than two teams), and the guidelines set forth in subparagraph c. below.

a. Two Teams Tied

(1) Better winning percentage in games against each other

(2) Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if tied teams are in same division).

(3) Better winning percentage against teams in own conference.

(4) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position).

(5) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in opposite conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position).

(6) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents ("point differential").


ME: So I guess it comes down to #4..........or #5 if we end up tied with the Heat

beat

beat wrote:It still makes little sense to me. if Miami loses to the pistons but beats us....and.we beat the bobcats this eve.  We then have identical records both division and conference records are identical too. So who gets the 4th seed? You seem to indicate the C's have the advantage .................

So what is the tiebreaker?


beat

First tiebreaker is head to head and we are 2-0 against both Miami and Charlotte so we would have the advantage over either team if we tie them. With two games to go we have 47 wins and so does Miami. Charlotte has 46. We beat Miami and we get the 4th spot. Then even if Charlotte beats us they only tie us at 48 wins and we own the tiebreaker. If we beat Charlotte and lose to Miami and Miami also beats the Pistons then they get the 4th spot because they would have 49 wins to our 48.

steve3344 wrote:

beat wrote:It still makes little sense to me. if Miami loses to the pistons but beats us....and.we beat the bobcats this eve.  We then have identical records both division and conference records are identical too. So who gets the 4th seed? You seem to indicate the C's have the advantage .................

So what is the tiebreaker?


beat

First tiebreaker is head to head and we are 2-0 against both Miami and Charlotte so we would have the advantage over either team if we tie them. With two games to go we have 47 wins and so does Miami. Charlotte has 46. We beat Miami and we get the 4th spot. Then even if Charlotte beats us they only tie us at 48 wins and we own the tiebreaker. If we beat Charlotte and lose to Miami and Miami also beats the Pistons then they get the 4th spot because they would have 49 wins to our 48.

didn't realize we have only played the heat twice.

Guess that makes JUST a little difference

beat

beat wrote:

steve3344 wrote:

beat wrote:It still makes little sense to me. if Miami loses to the pistons but beats us....and.we beat the bobcats this eve.  We then have identical records both division and conference records are identical too. So who gets the 4th seed? You seem to indicate the C's have the advantage .................

So what is the tiebreaker?


beat

First tiebreaker is head to head and we are 2-0 against both Miami and Charlotte so we would have the advantage over either team if we tie them.  With two games to go we have 47 wins and so does Miami.  Charlotte has 46.  We beat Miami and we get the 4th spot.  Then even if Charlotte beats us they only tie us at 48 wins and we own the tiebreaker.  If we beat Charlotte and lose to Miami and Miami also beats the Pistons then they get the 4th spot because they would have 49 wins to our 48.

didn't realize we have only played the heat twice.

Guess that makes JUST a little difference

beat

Just a little. Which by the way is a great song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYneeXVOAyA

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2016/3/18/11260498/nba-playoff-picture-2016-tiebreakers-standings