Poll

Do you feel like this Celtics team can make the NBA Finals?

Yes, this team can win the east without making any moves.
6 (15.8%)
Yes, but only if we upgrade at the trade deadline.
11 (28.9%)
No, I don't think the teams ready to make that kind of leap.
15 (39.5%)
No, But I do think they'll make the ECF.
6 (15.8%)

Total Members Voted: 38

Author Topic: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)  (Read 1106 times)

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Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« on: February 05, 2016, 07:42:22 PM »

Offline beantownboy171

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I wanted to get this poll in before tonight's game. I wish I had posted it earlier, because i'm sure that the outcome of tonight's C's-Cavs game will distort the poll somewhat. But I wanted to get a feel for where the expectations of the fan base is at this point in time.

We have a real good shot at entering the playoffs as the #3 seed. We'll have to get pretty hot to rise further than that in the standings, but i think most would be happy to end the season in that spot.

There clearly isn't anything we can do to turn ourselves into championship contenders this season. But i'm not sure there is a championship contender in the eastern conference since the Cavaliers are so dysfunctional.

What do you expect this team to do in the playoffs?
« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 10:35:46 PM by beantownboy171 »

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2016, 07:46:29 PM »

Offline Quetzalcoatl

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Cs are a rebuilding team and cannot challenge the Cavs, Spurs, Warriors, Clippers, Thunder or Raptors in a playoff series.  The Mavericks, Grizzlies, Rockets and Hawks would all probably beat us too, but at least those would be competitive. 

The fact that we're a rebuilding team and a 3 seed is huge though, it's not a bad thing that we can't win a title right now.  The thing people should be taking away is that we're a 3 seed while we're rebuilding at the same time.

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2016, 07:49:32 PM »

Offline tarheelsxxiii

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We're not a 3 seed, though. We're 4 right now and will likely bounce around from 8 to 3 for the next few weeks. There's a lot of ball left to be played and a congested conference. I genuinely don't think we're as good as CLE, TOR, or ATL... prob not MIA at full health, either.

Edit: Record-wise we are tied for 3rd, but tiebreaker goes to ATL making us 4 seed.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 08:10:25 PM by tarheelsxxiii »
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Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2016, 07:53:20 PM »

Offline beantownboy171

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We're not a 3 seed, though. We're 4 right now and will likely bounce around from 8 to 3 for the next few weeks. There's a lot of ball left to be played and a congested conference. I genuinely don't think we're as good as CLE, TOR, or ATL... prob not MIA at full health, either.
All I said is we had a good shot at the #3 seed, and we're currently tied for 3rd.

 But yeah I'd think we'd have to play our best against TOR or ATL to win a series. I just don't like the way MIA is built, I think we would beat them in a series.

The only way I see us beating CLE is if we make a move to upgrade the frontcourt at the deadline. Which I think would greatly improve our chances against TOR and ATL.

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2016, 08:08:27 PM »

Offline beantownboy171

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Well that 1st quarter doesn't inspire much confidence...

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2016, 08:44:07 PM »

Offline CroCorvus

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Cs are a rebuilding team and cannot challenge the Cavs, Spurs, Warriors, Clippers, Thunder or Raptors in a playoff series.  The Mavericks, Grizzlies, Rockets and Hawks would all probably beat us too, but at least those would be competitive. 

The fact that we're a rebuilding team and a 3 seed is huge though, it's not a bad thing that we can't win a title right now.  The thing people should be taking away is that we're a 3 seed while we're rebuilding at the same time.
The Raptors are not an elite team in the NBA.

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2016, 08:49:11 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

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To play slow azzzzzz playoff ball ,  ISO diva ball.....,   We need a BIG BIG

We have no plan to beat LeBron ......that need s either a huge frt line or a Steph Curry who,can shoot LeBrons eyes out.

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2016, 10:13:53 PM »

Offline beantownboy171

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A little bump after a big win!

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2016, 11:27:16 PM »

Offline Denis998

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If we finish 2nd or 3rd seed, meet the cavs in the conference finals. They have made it evident that they are injury prone, if they loose on of the "big" three, there is a chance Boston moves to the finals.

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2016, 12:34:50 AM »

Offline straightouttabahstun

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Yeah. The Cavs are a full on mess. It's beautiful. The East is slowly starting to show some parity again. I hope us or Toronto can pull an upset. I wanted to see Chicago do it if we couldn't, but they  just don't have the depth that we or TO do. You never know. I'm excited if we can keep winning in these big stretches!

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2016, 12:37:50 AM »

Offline LarBrd33

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Great win tonight.  I still think the cavs would beat us pretty easily in a playoff series. 

This will be an interesting trade deadline.   There really doesn't seem to be a consensus 2nd best team in the East.  If we land a star, it could be us.

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2016, 03:48:25 AM »

Offline Celtics18

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Great win tonight.  I still think the cavs would beat us pretty easily in a playoff series. 

This will be an interesting trade deadline.   There really doesn't seem to be a consensus 2nd best team in the East.  If we land a star, it could be us.

It could be us even if we don't land another star.
DKC Seventy-Sixers:

PG: G. Hill/D. Schroder
SG: C. Lee/B. Hield/T. Luwawu
SF:  Giannis/J. Lamb/M. Kuzminskas
PF:  E. Ilyasova/J. Jerebko/R. Christmas
C:    N. Vucevic/K. Olynyk/E. Davis/C. Jefferson

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2016, 04:12:00 AM »

Offline TheFlex

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Great win tonight.  I still think the cavs would beat us pretty easily in a playoff series. 

This will be an interesting trade deadline.   There really doesn't seem to be a consensus 2nd best team in the East.  If we land a star, it could be us.

It could be us even if we don't land another star.

The Cs are playing fantastic, 8-2 in their last 10. Meanwhile in Toronto, the Raps continue to hum along at 9-1 in their last 10.

It is true that the Cs could become the East's #2 seed without acquiring a star, but it would be tough to do so. In addition, LB said the Cs could become the "consensus 2nd best team" if they acquire a star. I think that's correct. Even if we get the #2 seed, we won't have truly separated ourselves from a team as talented as Toronto without acquiring another star.

I am relatively confident about the Cs' Eastern Conference Finals chances, but I think we'd need to avoid Toronto in the first two rounds or trade for a stud to get there. As negative as that sounds, those are still less "ifs" than most teams in the East - in the league - have. And there is no team with less "ifs" than us that also has a top 3 pick incoming.


Draft: 8 first rounders in next 5 years.

Cap space: $24 mil.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dkcleague/

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #13 on: February 06, 2016, 04:57:35 AM »

Online Who

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Cleveland will win the East. Short of a LeBron injury, I don't think anybody in the East can beat them in a 7 game series.

As for who plays them in the ECF, it could be any of the other teams in the East. Nobody has separation from the rest of the pack. So the Celtics have a 1 in 7 opportunity. 14% odds of making the ECF.

If Ainge can acquire a star, I agree that Boston becomes that #2 team in the East and a strong favourite to make the ECF. I'd say they will still be short of talent to beat Cleveland though.

Re: Gauging Fan Confidence: Eastern Conference Contenders? (Poll)
« Reply #14 on: February 06, 2016, 06:17:19 AM »

Offline Dino Pitino

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Cleveland will win the East. Short of a LeBron injury, I don't think anybody in the East can beat them in a 7 game series.

As for who plays them in the ECF, it could be any of the other teams in the East. Nobody has separation from the rest of the pack. So the Celtics have a 1 in 7 opportunity. 14% odds of making the ECF.

If they hold onto the 3rd seed, that 14% goes way higher because 1) that'd necessarily mean a significant separation in results from the 6th-8th seeds 2) they'd get home court for a round 3) they wouldn't have to face Cleveland until the ECF.

Quote
If Ainge can acquire a star, I agree that Boston becomes that #2 team in the East and a strong favourite to make the ECF. I'd say they will still be short of talent to beat Cleveland though.

If there's a team in the league that best fits the once-or-twice-a-decade species of team which exceeds the sum of its apparent individual talent and beats some teams more talented on paper, it'd be these Celtics. The late 70's Sonics, the early-mid 80's Bucks, the late 80's Pistons, the 1999 Knicks and the 2000 Pacers, the mid 00's Pistons...teams more or less like that.

Could also be that five or ten years from now, if one or two of our players establishes himself as a legit heavyweight star, then our current talent level might look way more impressive in retrospect, and if we make it to the ECF or Finals this year then future analysis might be like, "Well, it totally surprised people back then, but looking back they did have [Marcus Smart or Kelly Olynyk or Jae Crowder or whoever] just before he became a household name and perennial All Star", etc.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2016, 06:38:44 AM by Dino Pitino »
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