Pre-Game - THE Mother Of All Road Trips

After catching our breath from the Hiroshima/Nagasaki-like re-enactment in Boston administered against a completely unsuspecting and totally unprepared GSW's team, it is time to take a look ahead on the immediate Celtic Horizon.  Plus I'm going to shake things up a little bit if you guys and gal are cool with it and post a running head-to-head W/L scorecard for both Boston and Milwaukee over the next couple of weeks starting tonight with Clippers @ Bucks, now that the Bucks are through farting around against super-sub .500 teams.  Now they have Clips, @GSW, @ LAL, @Clps, 76ers, Suns...just to name a few....then @BOS.  Let's see who comes out ahead.  Next 5 games each for sure.  Both teams are facing similar competition in the level of difficulty column over the same stretch.  Should be very interesting!  

For the pre-game thread, given the gravitas and what's at stake, let's lump all these next 5 road games together, the first 3 at the very least.  #CLE (who lost to the Knicks last night putting us up +9 games in the East.  THANK YOU NYK's!! We'll still sweep you in the playoffs if presented with the opportunity, but thank you!!), @DEN, @PHX, @POR @UTAH.  I don't want to have to go looking all over the place on what's coming or what's at stake over the next couple of weeks.  One could argue this stretch definitely has 3 HUMONGOUS games and then a borderline plus a chippy.

What's going on in CLE?!!  Once as hot as asphalt in Houston in August now falling to 5-5 over the last 10 and just barely nudged out of 2nd place by the Bucks!  Will tomorrow be one of those games where they get back up just for us or is CLE on the same missile ride which the 76ers are currently enjoying, yesterday's game notwithstanding?  (Dang!  we must have really gotten in Kryrie's head!!  Wonderful!  Although he did show up in that game but in a losing effort.  Wow!  Never saw that coming!! Insert sarcasm.)  As always, going to need dboss's blessings on all of these but this looks like a win under current conditions but now the lasers are on our backs even more after yesterday.  Any team, any given night...

@DEN may be the tell tale game of the whole trip.  If last night for us was any indication vs. GSW, elephants DO remember and grudges are being settled.  (Which almost makes me want to wish for and opening round against MIA, but I'm not an masochist!  I would love nothing more than to see us sweep MIA, Eric snapping clipboards in half, about to have a stroke/heart attack, throwing chairs across the court ala the late, great Lefty Driesell...Nothing would make my sleep at night more restful).  Nothing would spell out more explicitly clear than we owe/d you one with a repeat performance of last night's game against GSW in DEN Thursday night for us.    

Just a heads up out West, but Beal is back and he scored 31 points in a losing effort as well vs. the superior Thunder.  Their Big 3 with little to no PT will hopefully try to put together something to try to change the minds of the rest of the NBA from its current stance of Broomsville in the 1st Round.

Let's stop here for now.  Lots to digest.  Lots to examine!    

db

I just posted on the "Around the League" thread that I don't see the Clippers pulling off two upsets in consecutive days by knocking off the Bucks tonight after beating the Wolves last night.  It'd be nice, but you're not seeing any of my money going down on it.

Of course we want to win every game, but if we don't which ones would we rather lose?  Would we rather lose to a bottom-feeder we're not going to see in the playoffs and that we know we would beat 9 times out of 10, or is "a win is a win is a win" and every win counts towards our Magic Numbers and beating Portland counts the same as beating Denver?  On one hand it's important to keep our eyes on the prize right in front of us and that is securing home court all the way through to #18 and that makes beating Denver but losing to Utah no more or less advantageous than beating Utah and losing to Denver.  On the other hand, i want to pay Denver back for beating us in the garden.  I also want to send a message to them they're not safe at home.  i also want to see us win one in the thin air of the Mile High City.  In summation I say "strap on your oxygen masks and go to work!" because our bench, if they play like they did yesterday against GSW, can handle a lot of the minutes against Portland and even Utah, but we need our starters playing at a high level to beat Denver and until someone knocks them off they are still the reigning World Champions.

Devin Booker limped off the court on Saturday vs Houston with a sprained ankle.  He's "being evaluated" and missed the game last night vs OKC.  We play Phoenix this Saturday, March 9th.  Will he be able to play against us one week later?  That's a very good question.  There's only one loss separating Phoenix @ #7 and Nwalins @ #5.  Do they go for it or not?  This late in the season they might prefer a fully healthy team over the short-term seeding goal.  They are 6 games in the loss column behind LAC for 4th.  It seems unlikely they will catch them and, if they can't reach #4, then there is no home court series for Phoenix.  #6 will spare them the play-in but that's all it will do.  Do you risk further injury to a key player, an All-Star, just to avoid the play-in tournament against the "barely qualified"?

If Booker doesn't play then our odds of going no worse than 4-1 on this 5 game road trip improve greatly. If that's so then we will have played almost a quarter of our remaining games and will have given up no more than 1 game of our lead and our lead is 6.


Bob


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bobh,

Just like Curry with bursitis, Booker will be there when we are there. Book(er) it, Danno.

And again, predicting with great accuracy re: PHX, gone in the 1st round. Put them in the 1st seed or 8th or anywhere. It won't matter.

db

And just in case anyone is wondering...with a 48-12 record adding to 60 games, that leaves 22.  With the streak of 11 in the books + 22 games remaining = 33, IF we ran the proverbial table we would have to wait until next year to break the Lakers record, although the media and league would not count it because it crossed over two season.  Or they would count any playoff loss against it but not any wins, like sweeping the first round. And if for any other reason than we're the Celtics and we've won enough.  

Well, it's tempting nonetheless!

db

DB

First things first.

Tuesday at Cleveland is a chance to start this trip out the right way.  The Celtics will win that game.  We already beat them twice with Mitchell and he is questionable.  Their loss to the Knicks is nothing short of an embarrassment.  The Celtics defense will need to travel with the team in a first class seat.  Compete on the glass, etc. etc and board the flight to the mile high city.

The Denver loss at home 102-100 was rather aggravating.  We shot poorly overall.  This was one of those games where we won the first half and then let go of the rope in the second half.  It seems to me that there will be no shortage of motivation going into this game.  If the Celtics play defense as well as they did in the loss to them, they will turn the Rockies into the Smokey Mountains.  They will head to Phoenix 2-0.  

I watched the Suns/OKC game last night.  I have not watched any Suns games all year.  I have to say this.  That team is pathetic.  I have never seen a team with 2 all-star level players look this disjointed.  Well, Devin Booker did not play because of a bad ankle. That certainly hurt them.  Their defense was not good at all.  Their roster construction is weird because they do not have a floor general.  Booker is their main assist guy but he is no floor general.  Beal has only played in 32 games all season. This is what happens when a team turns into a fried bacon and egg sandwich (over cooked)  The Celtics will beat them up and beat them down. While slicing and dicing them up like vegetables.

The Blazers are lottery bound and have little reason to put forth any effort.  They are 5th from the bottom and they probably should try to lose all of their remaining games.  I know some of you are thinking 'a trap game'  Just do not even consider that.  The Celtics are 22-1 against the Trailblazers of the world.  This will be game 1 of a B2B so AH or KP will sit.  This does not matter much.  

The Jazz are not half bad at home (18-11) this will not be n easy game.  It will be the 2nd of our B2B.  The Jazz will have 3 days off after their road game vs Denver so they should be well rested.  This could be a schedule loss but I am not buying that one.  

The Celtics have an excellent opportunity to finish the trip 5-0.  Why not?  There is really only one top team in the bunch (Denver) and we will be looking to even the score.

To my way of defining it, the Mother of All Road Trips was when I was 21, started at the University of Wisconsin/Madison and ended at the University of Minnesota/Duluth. I have no idea what you all are talking about here.

If, by some chance, the Mother of All Road Trips is supposed to be about Celtic basketball, a connotation for an easy glidepath and not a difficult journey, then this coming one should be it.

Denver should be the most difficult contest of the bunch, and a possible shot at a finals preview.

Perhaps, and I know you'll find this highly out of character for me, I was being a little over-dramatic, NYCelt! You can take the title however you like. Was just pointing out what looked like a difficult stretch or challenge to our 11-game win streak at a critical time where we could get a great read on our team with 20 games left in the season. It should be an very telling run.

db

Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
about 46 minutes ago
#Cavaliers say Donovan Mitchell (knee) will miss the next three games, meaning he’s OUT for Tuesday’s matchup against the #Celtics.



John Karalis @John_Karalis
about 40 minutes ago
Celtics injury report for tomorrow vs Cleveland: Jaylen Brown - Left Knee Contusion - QUESTIONABLE Kristaps Porzingis - Left Quad Contusion - QUESTIONABLE Neemias Queta - Right Knee Hyperextension - OUT


Bob


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I saw when JB bumped knees.  I hope another 24 hours will be enough time to get rid of the soreness.

In either case the Celtics have to go into their building and win.

dbrown4 wrote:Perhaps, and I know you'll find this highly out of character for me, I was being a little over-dramatic, NYCelt!  You can take the title however you like.  Was just pointing out what looked like a difficult stretch or challenge to our 11-game win streak at a critical time where we could get a great read on our team with 20 games left in the season.  It should be an very telling run.

db

Nah, just having some fun.

I hope you always keep up your posting style. A little extra emotional kick, humor, and especially originality, keeps it from getting boring around here.

Really looking forward to the Denver game, if both teams are full strength this is a true measuring stick game.

Mitchell and Strus are out tonight.  

Still waiting for an Update on JB and KP.

NYCelt wrote:

dbrown4 wrote:Perhaps, and I know you'll find this highly out of character for me, I was being a little over-dramatic, NYCelt!  You can take the title however you like.  Was just pointing out what looked like a difficult stretch or challenge to our 11-game win streak at a critical time where we could get a great read on our team with 20 games left in the season.  It should be an very telling run.

db

Nah, just having some fun.

I hope you always keep up your posting style. A little extra emotional kick, humor, and especially originality, keeps it from getting boring around here.

100%.


Bob


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db

This will be a damn difficult road trip.  

I'm picking them to go 5-0 (mother or no mother..lol)  As this season has moved forward, I am seeing a team that is playing on a different level than anyone else.  They seem to recognize things collectively.  The GSW game was a tremendous display of offensive efficiency but what I was most blown away by was the level of their defense.  It was the best that I have seen all year.  They smothered the Warriors.  Rotations were virtually instantaneous.  They took space away from the Warriors.  It was an exhilarating visual experience.

On this road trip, they will not back down from any team.  They have weathered some speed bumps during their 60 game campaign and are sitting atop the mountain daring anyone to push them off.  I have absolute and complete confidence that this is the team that we have been waiting for.  It does not matter if they won or loss their last game or how this guy or that guy played.  It does not matter what happened last year or the year before that or even the year before that. I send a blessing of great health to this team because they deserve a full measure of of an opportunity to win.

Watching our defense in that GSW game, I had the look of someone in the Death Zone of Mt. Everest where one immediately discovered their oxygen tank had just run out.  Dude, it was very uncomfortable.  And I'm a Celtic fan!!  My team was dishing it all out!!  

Loose the hounds, fully operational defensive Death Star, Helter Skelter...honestly, I am trying to recall when I have ever seen a more ferocious defensive attack and assault on a team at any level let alone the offensive arsenal that was displayed leaving JB shooting warm-up 3's as Draymond slouched in the lane.  And it's like they are just gave us a taste of it, saying, "Here's what we've got coming out in a few weeks.  What do you folks think?!!"  They may even have to put it back in the cage for a few games just for us fans to recover and make sure we actually saw what we just saw.

I think tonight if they could just tease us a bit more with the defense and offense on full throttle enough to have this game over by halftime, I would greatly appreciate it.

It doesn't even have to be for two quarters.  I'll take just one!!  With DM allegedly out for CLE and KP & JB questionable, it shouldn't make much of a difference.  We've seen this song and dance before.  

db

Both DM and Strus have been ruled out. Levert and Okoro are both questionable.

JB and KP are still questionable to play. Usually we get updated after Noon. Maybe they play but not 30 minutes.

Regardless of who plays or does not play, the Celtics still have to show up for work.

JB and KP cleared to play!

Not to put any more hype into the game this Thursday, but to date, this would have to be the center piece of the Mother of All Road trips and for the season, adding to that now the what I would call embarrassing loss to CLE.  Should have come rolling into DEN, now we've been humbled.  Thank you, CLE.  

We're going to find out a little more about this team.  All we did last night is give CLE some hope.  Unfortunately looking at the Grand Canyon developing in the Eastern Conference standings between CLE, MIL and 4th place, their hope will more than likely have to go through MIL to get to us, other things equal.  Good luck with that.  The way MIL is playing right now, even with all CLE's pieces in place, that series will still be over in 4.  So no skin off our backs for the moment except breaking the Lakers 33-win streak will have to wait for yet another season!!

If revenge is indeed the Celtics calling card for a Bad Boy image, tomorrow night will make that explicitly clear.

db

Just noticed something. The loser of tonight's matchup @ DEN will be on an 0-2 mini skid. We've only had one of those. Don't know about DEN but given their record it's hard to imagine they are not more familiar with that fate than us.

I'm really testing and stretching our "Payback's A Bitch" tough guy image and theory. Tonight would be the night to see that for real, mile-high and all. If I were Coach, I'd get that whole team up with assistant coaches and all at 5am this morning and go hike up and down one of those 54 14ers out there just to prepare their lungs and heads for tonight. I would make them run up one of the them with 50-lb packs (but a walk will suffice) until each one of them is doubled over, can't remember their names and puking water and trail mix everywhere.

OK, now you see why I would never make a great coach. But you get the point. It's difficult/impossible to get acclimated to high altitude in just one day. Most of those trails for those 54 mountains start around 10,000 feet. So yes, DEN, we know you have an advantage. BFD

We need to remove all doubt tonight. Don't know if we will do it, but regardless, we will see a better game tonight than we did two nights ago vs. CLE from us. DEN can't afford to lose tonight. We have the better reason not to show up or dial this one in. DEN needs to know we have arrived. A loss by us and the media-oric Hallelujah Choruses (of us not being ready for the prime time big game, or JT choking at the most important part of the season or DEN can relax for they are going to repeat and sweep us like they did MIA if we show up against them in the Finals) will blare like the 1 Billion person Heavenly Choir that will greet your happy ass upon your arrival at the pearly gates.

I am more than prepared for us to come in there tonight, choke on this fine opportunity to plan our flag to officially announce our arrival as the team that will win the championship starting this year and instead leave DEN 0-2. There is a very good chance that will happen. It's DEN (-1.5). How do you like that BOS? While that's basically a draw, Vegas doesn't think we have it in us. Even they have started figuring in the choke factor.

Let's see what our folks on this site say, who I might add while not perfect (no one is or we'd be gazillionaires betting their prognostications), they are right 90%+ of the time. I know this is just another regular season game...but is it?! Is this the potential passing of the baton opportunity?

Let's play the game and see!! We are playing with house money after both CLE and MIL both blew it last night.

R-E-V-E-N-G!! Thanks, Deputy Fife! Let's see it!!

db