Celtics Playoffs 2024

worcester wrote:

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Is Payton going to make Derrick expendable/tradeable. I sure hope not, that is a backfire I would be sick over.  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Rosalie, perhaps  a more relevant/controversial/ hitherto inconceivable question to ask is will Derrick make Jayson expendable/tradeable?

No, but that's just my opinion.

Derrick and Tatum get extensions this summer.

If Wyc can make that happen, he is a blessing to all Celtics fans.

The reason we are winning despite Tatum’s inefficiency is mainly DWhite IMHO and ofcourse Jaylen. If those 2 were shooting like JT then the team would have a problem. I would also like to see Holiday be more efficient. A guy I am loving is Luke, playing fiercely in that paint, wreaking havoc. This guy has improved so much, I remember I was questioning why was he even on the team 2 years ago. Now he runs the floor so hard.

worcester wrote:If Wyc can make that happen, he is a blessing to all Celtics fans.

I also hope we can keep Luke and Hauser

I'm with you Cow. Luke and Hauser have both emerged as fine role players.

Brian Windhorst on ESPN Cleveland.





Bob


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Against The Grain?

A good win against an elite Donovan Mitchell performance last night.
Or was it?

What i liked
Jrue everywhere doing everything all the time.
D White sticking with it and finding the range again.
JB playing with (L)earned confidence. His growth is on full display.
Hauser rolling hard when he’s chased off the line.
Luke’s D and blocks - effort plays. Jrue and JT found him rolling
JT making plays for others early. Getting guys connected.

What i don’t like: 4th quarter execution in that Cav’s win.
I know we won, but - we didn’t play team ball.
Did we need JT to go into take-over mode? I’m asking that as a real question, not a hypothetical. …

I don’t like JT taking step-back contested jumper’s instead of attacking late in the game. His 4th Q ISO’s are bad for the team.
For one thing, his crunch time stats are Not so hot.
But a much bigger reason, way more than that, is because when he’s gone ISO and is pounding the ball
- the ball doesn’t keep moving, so
- the defense doesn’t have to keep chasing it, so
- the guys stop moving / cutting/ screening, so
- It totally kills the energy.
And we stop playing the team game that got us where we were.

I didn’t like what we did in the last 5 minutes of the Cav’s win. But I could be wrong. Maybe it’s just me.

When we need a late-game bucket we should keep doing what we do best.
Move the ball. Make it hop. Screen and cut.

We have a lot of guys we can turn to for a Must-Have shot. We have an abundance of riches; so many assets; options most teams can’t even dream about.

No offense to Tatum - use the 4th Q to show that you really do
“Trust your guys. Trust the team” by acting like it. .

Late game ISO’s are not how the team will win #18.
That’s exactly what we did wrong in those last two early exits.
What we need to Not do is: turn into That team again.

So don’t use late-game time to practice for: “What If It’s All On Me?”

The only time JT (or anyone) should go to “When all else fails” is, when all else has failed.

You state the obvious perfectly, bigpygmie.
JT should avoix those step back jumpers, keep driving to the rim, or pass to an open man.

You state the obvious perfectly, bigpygmie.
JT should avoix those step back jumpers, keep driving to the rim, or pass to an open man.

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
yesterday
New: Donovan Mitchell looked gassed in the fourth quarter in Game 3 but there may have been more going on there besides fatigue. He's been added to the Cavs injury report for Game 4



https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2024/05/cavs-injury-report-2-starters-listed-for-game-4-vs-celtics-monday.html



Cavs injury report: 2 starters listed for Game 4 vs. Celtics Monday


Published: May. 12, 2024, 6:30 p.m.


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com


The Cavs have a new addition to their injury report for a critical Game 4 matchup against the Celtics on Monday night at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell is listed as questionable with a left calf strain. Jarrett Allen also remains questionable with bruised ribs.

Mitchell has been the best player for the Cavs in this series, averaging 31 points per game on 51 percent shooting from the field. He scored a game-high 33 points in a Game 3 loss on Saturday night but look hobbled in the fourth quarter when he only scored three points on 1-of-4 shooting in the final frame. Cleveland has managed to score just 69 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the bench in this series so his condition will be critical for the Cavs’ chances in Game 4.


Allen remains hobbled as he’s missed six straight games overall for Cleveland after injuring his ribs in Game 4 of the Magic series. ESPN reported during Game 3 that he’s yet to face contact on the court as he continues to heal so his status for the remainder of this series appears to be up in the air. The good news for Cleveland is reserve forward Dean Wade is no longer listed on the injury report after making his return in Game 3 from a knee injury. Wade scored five points in 22 minutes in his first appearance in two months and is be a big upgrade for Cleveland’s forward rotation in this series.


On the other side, the Celtics will remain without starting center Kristaps Porzingis for Game 4 as he continues his recovery from a calf strain. He has already missed four straight games with the injury. Backup center Luke Kornet is also probable for Boston with a calf strain. He missed the start of the postseason with the same injury.


Bob
MY NOTE:  We're STILL not in Cleveland for the weather.  Let's bury these bums now, before Donovan Mitchell AND Jarrett Allen come back.  Let's give Porzingis another few days to heal by ending this in 5. And, apparently, Luke needs a game or two off too.  Let's take care of business tonight.


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Jrue Holiday said in his postgame interview that the approach was to work Donovan Mitchell out, get him tired, and it appeared they accomplished their goal. As great a player as Mitchell is, he does not like giving up that ball. He had zero assists in the first half of that game. I got a little worried because Garland was looking to get untracked in the 4th quarter and hit a few shots, By that time, Mitchell was missing alot of his shots. If Mitchell is indeed hurt, I wonder if the Cavs have enough to pull off another game. I sure do not think so, expecially if the Celtics play defense the way they did on Saturday

If there is a way for Mitchell to play, he should try to do so. The result of game 4 will be either a 2-2 tie in the series or a 3-1 deficit for the Cavs.

Regardless of who plays, the Celtics must be about winning and playing with a high level of both physicality and a commitment to playing great defense.

db

Teams seem to find ways to play well even when their star player is out. The Celtics need not pay any attention to the injury report. They have to and need to win the game.

Celts get way too little credit. That's ok. When we win #18 with a healthy and well rested Zinger, we will have the last laugh.

I was just saying to my son the Celtics need a big chip on their shoulder. The whole NBA is crapping all over them, and it is time to shut the all up. Start with a blowout win tomorrow night, get KP healthy and shut all these big mouths us, starting with Shaq and Perk

Good plan Rosalie. Good plan.

Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
about 18 minutes ago
Caris LeVert (knee) joins Donovan Mitchell (calf) and Jarrett Allen (ribs) among the questionable Cavs in G5.

Bob


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You could tell LeVert was not 100 percent. I expected him to really go off, but Garland took his place. This is still a team to worry about if you take them too lightly. Tomorrow is the night for redemption in front of your home crowd and give them something to go home happy about.

Jorge Sierra: Jaylen Brown (age 27) passed Allen Iverson, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic in playoff scoring yesterday. He’s No. 56 all-time now. Al Horford is No. 53 (moved ahead of Gary Payton) and Jayson Tatum is No. 44 (passed Byron Scott and John Stockton).


Bob
MY NOTE:  Giannis is 29 1/2 and The Joker is 29.  This article was published before last night's game.  Jokic had 40 last night and is now 26 points ahead of Jaylen and tied with Al Horford.  Jayson needs 72 points to pass Chauncey Billups for 43rd and 80 points to pass Jimmy Butler for 42nd.  To become 40th he needs 147 to tie Kevin Garnett. Assuming we get past Cleveland (a highly probable event, I just don't want to jinx it by saying "for sure") Jayson will pass KG easily in the next round.


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https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5492323/2024/05/14/celtics-jaylen-brown-jayson-tatum-nba-playoffs-lakers-lebron-james-the-bounc/?source=freedailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=13921316




Are Celtics on easiest NBA Finals path ever?


By Zach Harper and Shams Charania

May 14, 2024



I went to see “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” and there were THIRTY MINUTES OF PREVIEWS! Thirty! How is that legal?  (MY NOTE:  You've apparently never watched an NBA game on network TV)


Easier in the East?

Celtics currently cruising to Finals


When it was announced that Donovan Mitchell would miss Game 4, basketball Twitter immediately commented on how easy Boston’s path to the NBA Finals should be. It’s something we’ve said for weeks – maybe even months – about the Celtics as they’ve dominated almost everybody in front of them. Most of us have thought there should be zero reasons – outside of potential injury to Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown – for this team to not make the Finals.

Boston faced a Miami Heat team without Jimmy Butler. Now, it’s facing a Cavaliers team that misses Jarrett Allen and just had to sit Mitchell because of his knee. Also, this is a Cleveland team that gave away the worst t-shirts ever used as promo. Assuming the Celtics take care of business in the next game or two (they beat Cleveland 109-102 last night to move to 3-1 in the series), they will face either a young, inexperienced Pacers team with one of the worst defenses we’ve ever seen, or an extremely banged-up Knicks squad missing at least two starters.

them boys at it again pic.twitter.com/ie5cpUqBTU

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 14, 2024

Successful business trip pic.twitter.com/TBjluNBuUb

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 14, 2024

Tatum’s last three games:

33 PTS | 11 REB | 5 AST
33 PTS | 13 REB | 6 AST
25 PTS | 7 REB | 6 AST

Leading the Celtics in points, rebounds and assists in that stretch. pic.twitter.com/GJUvvyN5hX

— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 14, 2024


I can’t imagine the Celtics will care how easy their pathway to the Finals is or could be. They also should not care, for the simple fact that you can only play the team in front of you. They’re not supposed to wait for the other team to get healthy and then make it a fair fight. If their stars (beyond Kristaps Porziņģis) got hurt, nobody facing them would feel bad about their absent firepower.

John Hollinger offered up the 1984 Lakers (38-44 Kansas City Kings, 43-39 Dallas Mavericks and 41-41 Phoenix Suns) as a team with an easier path to the Finals than the current Celtics. It’s also fair to wonder if such a meandering path set them up for failure upon facing a very familiar opponent in the Celtics when those Lakers reached the Finals. They lost to Boston in seven games, but those Lakers didn’t have home court for the final game. These current Celtics will.

If they face the Denver Nuggets like we’ve suspected all season long, we can wonder if this stroll through the East properly prepared them for battling Nikola Jokić and Co. As for now, they can play at their own pace, keep their opponents at bay and hope to get Porziņģis back for this final push toward a title. Tatum and Brown will keep the East beyond an arm’s length away, so we’ll see how fate treats Boston if its season is ever truly on the line. We’re a far cry from certain Celtics-favoring fans and media from wanting to change the rules to pick their first-round opponent, when it looked like Boston’s would be those Butler-led Heat.


Bob
MY NOTE:  There's value in becoming "toughened up" by facing a little adversity, the 2008 World Champion Boston Celtics had to win every home game because they weren't great on the road, but there's also something to be said for a cake walk that is over quickly and without injuries.  I'm ok with an easier road to the Finals, and then having the memory of last year's early departure and the previous year's defeat vs GSW to provide all the fuel our guys need to "power up" for #18.

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