No Pressure Tonight or Friday...However

I won't put words in dboss's mouth or anyone's on this site, but I have to feel these next two games are early signature games to exactly where we stand as a team. I haven't looked who's available although that hasn't mattered until we laid an egg against the hapless Knicks as our last outing.

I've said in other threads that initially I would have accepted a split but have now moved that to a Sweep on our end only to indicate we are in the race for a Finals appearance.

I liked Shaq on Monday correcting/dismissing Charles (who is obviously a little biased toward PHI) and Shaq saying Boston is one of the top three teams, not PHI but now Boston is going to have to prove it. A split now does not accomplish anything for either team, especially us.

I have to be honest, though. I'm hoping/praying for a split. We could just as easily come out 0-2 here and no one would probably disagree with me. Let's hope I am as wrong as my early season prognosticating us being below .500 upon Kemba's return.

COVID's grip on this team is about to be in the rear view mirror as JaT/RWill/CE are about to come off and everyone should be back ready to go. Kemba needs to show up tonight, hopefully coming off the bench, but I doubt it. Brad's respect system is duly noted.

If the team prior to the Knicks game shows up tonight and Friday, we'll sweep those bastards running away and alert everyone we're a HUGE problem in the East. Then we can figure out how to topple BKN because that may be our Achilles Heel come playoff time. If we can't find our asses with both hands against them no matter who's on the floor, then the playoffs are going to be yet another disappointing ECF exit or earlier.

MIL right now? We're in the game against them. PHI? We'll know after Friday. BKN? Head scratcher.

db

I don't have too much if anything negative to say about last night's game.  PHI will see it as they have caught up and passed us, but this is not true.  We were down two very critical players (JaT and RWill) yet we were very competitive throughout the game and some will argue we should have won.  

Some guys guys really showed up.  JB was a little sloppy with ball handling at times along with MS both dribbling into really bad double/triple teams with the trees and resulting in turnovers.  JB was able to get himself out of those jams on occasion.  DT and KW definitely showed up.  Very impressed with their production.

Hitting our free throws would have helped a whole lot last night.  But again, we're in the game with PHI.  I saw nothing that would lead me to believe we had a huge gap(s) that needed to be focused on/pull up the carpet with PHI.  BKN is a different story.

Don't understand Brad starting Club Hands(on entry passes, that is) and GWill at the same time. Clearly, Theis corrected Brad with his performance. I don't think he's going to change that any time soon.

I'm going to guess JaT will not be out of protocol for Friday's game.  Last night's game just came down to a small handful of untimely errors or lack of proficiency.  Other than that, I'm pleased.

db

Tatum is in the gym practicing. Brad had said it was 50/50.. If he passes a couple more Covid tests he will be ready to go. Notice that RW never made it into the game last night. He had some symptoms related to Covid, so it may take a bit to get his legs under him. I do not know about Tatum.

Last nights game was certainly one they could have won. Those referee's were terrible 43-20 discrepancy in free throws, and 21 of those were Embids. I expect Marcus will get fined as he could not wait to get the the interview table and rip the ref'ing. No fans in the stands, who were these ref's trying to play up to????? It got sickening after a while.

Yet, they still could have won that game if they hit their shots at the end of the game. I know it sounds like looking for a scape goat, but it really sick

Theis was less than stellar on both ends and Thompson has his big limitations on defense. That did it right there. Embiid is a monster to start with and last night was no challenge for him.

It will help to get RW3 back and get some teeth into the defense in the paint.

It was funny to hear the ESPN crew keep saying that Embiid is having his way with Thompson and that Thompson is such a good defensive center. My son and I were watching the game and laughed every time they came out with that one. They must have been thinking of some other Thompson!

No pressure, yet, is correct.

It is becoming more and more obvious, however, that the team badly needs a center. The team is still coming together and figuring things out. If we keep getting owned in the middle the pressure will eventually be on the front office to do something to shore up the center spot before the playoffs, or to at least find a deal this summer. Theis is slipping further, Thompson is limited but can board and Williams needs to get back and show continued growth. None of those three, alone or in combination, look like the answer. A deal for a center will need to be made in order to continue to contend in the East.

Funny but wasn't that one of the reasons they claimed they wanted Thompson? Defense on bigs like Embid??? Heck, he was invisible last night.

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well. Bad news, I think the same officials are on tap for Friday nite as well.

Well, if they are truly officials and unbiased/objective, it will swing back the other way. I'm sure they don't read their own headlines, though!

db

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Funny but wasn't that one of the reasons they claimed they wanted Thompson? Defense on bigs like Embid???  Heck, he was invisible last night.  

I think you're right Rosalie. I remember somewhere along the way they said something about wanting him for defense, or being the opposite type of center from Kanter. I believe Thompson's defensive stats are probably just as bad as Kanter's this season. While Thompson can rebound and contributes on offense, he certainly is not a defensive oriented big. Like you said, invisible last night.

Really makes me think the pressure could be on soon to do something about a center.

NYCelt wrote:

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Funny but wasn't that one of the reasons they claimed they wanted Thompson? Defense on bigs like Embid???  Heck, he was invisible last night.  

I think you're right Rosalie. I remember somewhere along the way they said something about wanting him for defense, or being the opposite type of center from Kanter. I believe Thompson's defensive stats are probably just as bad as Kanter's this season. While Thompson can rebound and contributes on offense, he certainly is not a defensive oriented big. Like you said, invisible last night.

Really makes me think the pressure could be on soon to do something about a center.

I still think Boston might use the TPE and a player or two or draft pick to acquire Drummond from Cleveland.
With Jarrett Allen now in Cleveland, it does not look like Drummond will be part of Cleveland's future.