Reminder - Celtics vs Nets at NOON!

Game is at noon today folks! Just noticed the early start time.

bobc33 wrote:Game is at noon today folks!  Just noticed the early start time.

Thanks

I would have missed the live broadcast

Turned out not to be a well played game by the Celtics.

Handing the ball to any opponent 19 times is likely to be a key reason for a loss in the NBA.

So sloppy and a well deserved loss. On to the Knicks on Sunday.

So far, the Bucks and Lakers don't play like this. Even on an off night, they still manage to do one thing...win. We were still in a position to win at the end. One lesson left to learn.

db

To add on.  Given that the difference between winning and losing in the NBA is a matter of inches, I'm seeing something just a little disturbing so far.  I should probably save this until after Game 25 which is my first marker of the season for a look back on things, but I'll bring it up here to see if anyone else is noticing this as well.  

Let's put aside the injuries to Kemba and Gordon, as this may be the GH effect which I'm hoping it is, check this out.  Let's keep this to the 4 top tier teams in each conference.  When we are winning, they are winning.  When we're losing, they are still winning. When we play/beat up on each other, those will pretty much cancel each other out.  

This is what has slid us into 3rd/4th place in the East after the first 18 games and being at the top.  It is very gradual but all of the sudden we are looking no better than last year's end of season position.

Our playoff position is not determined by how well we play against the Top 4 playoff teams in each conference or for that matter how well we play against the other Top 3 EC teams.  Our playoff position is determined by the remaining 75% teams in the league.  And as of right now, it appears we are slipping just a bit.  

All the close games from the recent West road trip did not help us much.  Losing a game we probably should have won vs. BKN didn't help much either.  Losing the opener to PHI was just a bad opening game on the road the powers that be along with TV do to us year in/year out pitting us against the most unfavorable teams on National TV usually on the opponents home court who is either favored to win it all that season or very close. Usually an "L" for us.  

That's how you rack up 5 loses the quiet way, find yourself in 4th place and start scratching your head.  Now you have to deal with the revamped Raptors and the Heat finding a firm foundation.    

I might get inspired and create a grid to prove/disprove my statements above based upon the premises outlined.  But right now, it is just a little troubling with the perceived trend based strictly on observation.

Anyone see things this way as well or differently?  Just curious.

db

The only other team that appears to be in the same Twilight Zone as we are is LAC. Maybe you can argue PHI. LAC has had similar top tier personnel missing but now has them back. PHI doesn't have much of an excuse.

Maybe the loose cannon Embiid might have something to do with chemistry issues but that's about all I can attribute.

While we are not in a bad situation here as it is early in the season and we are able to make up for lost ground, the further we get into the season and keep losing games we should be winning, it becomes next to impossible to make any move up the overall record ladder and change our playoff seeding.

db

And I might have been off by one game on my "trap game" prediction. But look! Here it is today. IF this game is anything short of an unmitigated blowout by Boston, Celtics have some splainin' to do.

db

The biggest difference that I see from last year to this year is that Boston has fewer open shot opportunities with Kemba at PG compared to Kyrie.
Kyrie had 18 double digit assist games last year and Kemba has 0 in 17 games and only twice has Kemba had more than 6 assists in a game.
Boston’s assist numbers, their FG% and 3 PT% are all lower this year and I think it’s because Kyrie makes others better on the court and Kemba doesn’t. We know Kyrie’s issues and how he was a bad fit for Boston. Kemba is obviously an all-star dynamic offensive player but is one who doesn’t help a team that much if he’s not shooting great.
I would not worry about Boston’s record right now or even in a month or so. They will probably finish 3rd in the conference as I expected before the season started. Staying out of Milwaukee’s path for as long as possible in the playoffs will help Boston as Milwaukee is not a good matchup for them.
Miami has really surprised me. They are currently the best shooting team in the league.

tjmakz wrote:The biggest difference that I see from last year to this year is that Boston has fewer open shot opportunities with Kemba at PG compared to Kyrie.
Kyrie had 18 double digit assist games last year and Kemba has 0 in 17 games and only twice has Kemba had more than 6 assists in a game.
Boston’s assist numbers, their FG% and 3 PT% are all lower this year and I think it’s because Kyrie makes others better on the court and Kemba doesn’t. We know Kyrie’s issues and how he was a bad fit for Boston. Kemba is obviously an all-star dynamic offensive player but is one who doesn’t help a team that much if he’s not shooting great.
I would not worry about Boston’s record right now or even in a month or so. They will probably finish 3rd in the conference as I expected before the season started. Staying out of Milwaukee’s path for as long as possible in the playoffs will help Boston as Milwaukee is not a good matchup for them.
Miami has really surprised me. They are currently the best shooting team in the league.

TJ,

I'm not a big stats guy, at least not with basketball, so I would have never found this myself.

Interesting take overall.

Regards

Sorry tj stats can be deceiving, Kyrie overdominated the ball, it was his too much to control and other guys got left out. I don’t know what all the stats are, but Kemba is also comfortable taking a back seat and let others initiate the offense. There is actually more passing and open looks from my eye test.

cowens,

I agree that stats can sometimes be very deceiving, but I can certainly say that this year's team has been much more fun to watch and follow regardless of how many assists Walker has.

wideclyde wrote:cowens,

I agree that stats can sometimes be very deceiving, but I can certainly say that this year's team has been much more fun to watch and follow regardless of how many assists Walker has.

All that, plus I think our chances of going deep in the playoffs are much better with the douchebag gone.