Author Topic: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?  (Read 3777 times)

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Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« on: March 26, 2017, 03:48:16 PM »

Offline jaketwice

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We have a great group of guys - including especially Al Horford and Isaiah Thomas. But IT is our whole offense. What happens in the playoffs when teams can try different things to slow him down? When starters don't need resting? Am I crazy to be concerned about this? Okay, I'm not worried about Goran Dragic or Reggie "Primadonna" Jackson playing a ton of great defence.

But man Jeff Teague is a pretty good defender. Lots of big men in the paint if we play the Bucks...

Who steps up and takes the scoring load if the other team shuts down Isaiah Thomas?


Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2017, 03:51:24 PM »

Offline Dannys Chipotle Guy

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We are better than any opponent we are likely to play in the first round. Thats why we will beat them.

You are overthinking this.

There isnt some magic stop Isaiah button that teams can just press when they get to the playoffs. If our top 7 or so guys are healthy we should easily beat any of the likely first round opponents.

Atlanta with a healthy Milsapp would be a challenge, but one we should still win.

2nd round opponents are more of a toss-up, but unless Lowry is at full strength we are better than anyone outside the Cavs in the East.

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2017, 03:51:58 PM »

Offline liam

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We have a great group of guys - including especially Al Horford and Isaiah Thomas. But IT is our whole offense. What happens in the playoffs when teams can try different things to slow him down? When starters don't need resting? Am I crazy to be concerned about this? Okay, I'm not worried about Goran Dragic or Reggie "Primadonna" Jackson playing a ton of great defence.

But man Jeff Teague is a pretty good defender. Lots of big men in the paint if we play the Bucks...

Who steps up and takes the scoring load if the other team shuts down Isaiah Thomas?

IT has added that little pull up jumper and is using it a lot this year and if they want to double team IT, the Celtics can run the offense through Hordford. IT needs to play off the ball more in the playoffs. Baring injuries, I can't see The Cs getting bounced in the 1st round.

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2017, 04:13:17 PM »

Offline PhoSita

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Because whoever we face probably won't have the firepower to keep pace with our scoring.

You’ll have to excuse my lengthiness—the reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.
- Mark Twain

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2017, 04:13:33 PM »

Offline Clench123

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IT is not our whole offense but I do share your concern.

I always said when I left the Celtics, I could not go to heaven, because that would
 be a step down. I am pure 100 percent Celtic. I think if you slashed my wrists, my
 blood would’ve been green.  -  Bill "Greatest of All Time" Russell

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2017, 04:55:24 PM »

Offline alewilliam789

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Any other year I would agree with you, but with Al Horford's ability to pass the ball and stretch the floor as well as efficiently grind on the block makes us a very hard team to stop. You double IT you give it up to Al to knock it down or find someone.

I'm excited to see how far we go in the playoffs because I'm starting to believe we could make it to the ECF

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2017, 05:31:54 PM »

Offline Ogaju

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because we are the best team in the East, or have you not read that thread?

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2017, 05:45:44 PM »

Offline Celtics17

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Our 3 point shooting! You said give you a reason, not several. That's all it will take to win the first round, good 3 point shooting from this team. I realize we have to play D, hit free throws etc. but our 3 point shooting will blow open a couple of games in the first round and we win two more grinding it out with any team in the league.

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2017, 06:11:11 PM »

Offline mctyson

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We have a great group of guys - including especially Al Horford and Isaiah Thomas. But IT is our whole offense. What happens in the playoffs when teams can try different things to slow him down? When starters don't need resting? Am I crazy to be concerned about this? Okay, I'm not worried about Goran Dragic or Reggie "Primadonna" Jackson playing a ton of great defence.

But man Jeff Teague is a pretty good defender. Lots of big men in the paint if we play the Bucks...

Who steps up and takes the scoring load if the other team shuts down Isaiah Thomas?

These teams you worry about are barely over .500 this year.  They are not very good.  I would be worried about playing Miami who is playing like a 2-3 seed since December.

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #9 on: March 27, 2017, 06:46:40 AM »

Offline TheSundanceKid

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Also Horford and Avery Bradley. Both are capable scorers when IT is on the bench. Whilst the offense tends to stagnate with our bench unit, it improves a lot when those two are reintroduced.

Flow the offense through All and good things happen. We've seen more of that since the All Star break and he's been fantastic

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #10 on: March 27, 2017, 07:40:55 AM »

Offline RockinRyA

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There are a lot of things different this time around from last year.

1) Unless something happens, we would be healthier come playoff time.
2) We are no longer the lower seed fighting with homecourt disadvantage.
3) This is our 3rd playoffs, the team is much more experienced compared to the last 2
4) Any team we would face in the first rounds are teams we've beaten in our series. Unlike the last 2 years where we face teams where we had so much trouble in the Cavs and Raptors.
5) Horford makes our offense much different than before.
6) Thomas is playing on a different level than before.

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #11 on: March 27, 2017, 08:21:58 AM »

Offline colincb

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We're 14-4 (78%) against our our 6 possible 1st round matchups (ATL, CHI, DET, IND, MIA, MIL), 24-7 (77%) with our starting 5 intact, and 38-18 (68%) since Deceember 1st (i.e., we've been playing at a contender level pace for a while and have improved). The only 1st round team that would worry me is MIA, but we're 4-0 against them, they have no one to guard IT, and we've got defenders that we can match up against their best players.

I'm worried about TOR and CLE and that's it. Barring injuries, if we lose to anyone else, it would be a major upset.

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #12 on: March 27, 2017, 08:28:17 AM »

Offline Granath

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We have a great group of guys - including especially Al Horford and Isaiah Thomas. But IT is our whole offense. What happens in the playoffs when teams can try different things to slow him down? When starters don't need resting? Am I crazy to be concerned about this? Okay, I'm not worried about Goran Dragic or Reggie "Primadonna" Jackson playing a ton of great defence.

But man Jeff Teague is a pretty good defender. Lots of big men in the paint if we play the Bucks...

Who steps up and takes the scoring load if the other team shuts down Isaiah Thomas?

Because we're a better team than any of our potential 1st round opponents.

/thread
Jaylen Brown will be an All Star in the next 5 years.

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #13 on: March 27, 2017, 08:42:35 AM »

Offline apc

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If some team has a way to stop IT why not use in regular season?
There are no special weapons for playoff.
The only difference is teams will try harder and be more aggressive.
I can see IT FT numbers increase in playoffs.

Re: Tell me why we don't get bounced in the first round?
« Reply #14 on: March 27, 2017, 08:50:29 AM »

Offline KGBirdBias

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I know for a fact, I don't want to play Miami in the 1st round.