"We would be a lottery team without Isaiah"

[Ed Hollison]

One thing I've been reminded of is that the playoffs is different from the regular season in terms of style. Teams really seek to exploit weak links defensively, and that's one reason why this debate around IT is legitimate. There was a stretch during the third quarter of game 7 of the Wizards series where IT got absolutely roasted possession after possession. Now, some of that is due to his being hurt, but it's also due to the fact that he's 5'9".

So, maybe a team without IT wouldn't win 53 games (I say they're much better defensively and probably win 44-48), but they may actually a better matchup against some teams in the playoffs.

Of course, it would be nice to have an offensive savant who's also a good defender, with size, who can not get posted up and who can swtich pick & rolls. That, my friends, is why people are enticed by Fultz.

[Darío SpanishFan]

TP, Mr. Hollison. Yours may be the continuation of the OP.

[LGC88]

One thing I've been reminded of is that the playoffs is different from the regular season in terms of style. Teams really seek to exploit weak links defensively, and that's one reason why this debate around IT is legitimate. There was a stretch during the third quarter of game 7 of the Wizards series where IT got absolutely roasted possession after possession. Now, some of that is due to his being hurt, but it's also due to the fact that he's 5'9".

So, maybe a team without IT wouldn't win 53 games (I say they're much better defensively and probably win 44-48), but they may actually a better matchup against some teams in the playoffs.

Of course, it would be nice to have an offensive savant who's also a good defender, with size, who can not get posted up and who can swtich pick & rolls. That, my friends, is why people are enticed by Fultz.

That's not the whole picture.
IT does something that rare players do, he can score at ease 1 on 1.
What will happen if we got another go to scorer like PG, Butler etc? Will they be able to double on both player? Not happening.
Give this team another talent that can create his own shot and you have an almost unstoppable offensive team (with shooters that spread the floor).
And if you pay attention that's exactly what the Cavs are right now.

[PhoSita]

The Celts would average less than 100 points per game over a full season without Isaiah as currently constructed.

Don't let a game in which Marcus Smart played like Steph Curry mislead you.

They would almost certainly be better defensively, but would they hold opponents to less than 100 points?

[SHAQATTACK]

Once Fultz gets here no

[Chris22]

Once Fultz gets here no

This.

[kozlodoev]

Once Fultz gets here no

This.

I don't anticipate Fultz to be ready in less than 2-3 years and neither should you.

[IDreamCeltics]

As good as IT is his acquisition has hampered the development of the team as a whole specifically Marcus smart who was drafted to replace rondo.  I think the intention was to make It the 6th man which he should be, but a bunch of whining and lack of backbone on management probably haulted that.  As I've been saying, trade IT for some picks while we can.  And it's not to say IT isn't valuable, he's just The offense, and that's not good when you are developing a Team.

Smart's lack of development can be blamed solely on him.  He's been playing close to 30 minutes a game and is the primary ball handler for the second unit.  Nobody's "in his way."

Smart has had 1 game where he scored 27 points and everyone is going nuts.

Isaiah AVERAGED 28 points per game for the season. 

However clutch this one game was for Smart, (and believe me I think it was awesome)  let's not pretend he's suddenly capable of doing that on a nightly basis. He's struggled to break 10 ppg for the last three seasons.

[Tr1boy]

no we would not be

Celtics are still a playoff team

[Darío SpanishFan]

The Celts would average less than 100 points per game over a full season without Isaiah as currently constructed.

Don't let a game in which Marcus Smart played like Steph Curry mislead you.

They would almost certainly be better defensively, but would they hold opponents to less than 100 points?

This is not overreaction at all. I've kept my point every game Marcus Smart has been his habitual self in offense.

[kozlodoev]

As good as IT is his acquisition has hampered the development of the team as a whole specifically Marcus smart who was drafted to replace rondo.  I think the intention was to make It the 6th man which he should be, but a bunch of whining and lack of backbone on management probably haulted that.  As I've been saying, trade IT for some picks while we can.  And it's not to say IT isn't valuable, he's just The offense, and that's not good when you are developing a Team.

Smart's lack of development can be blamed solely on him.  He's been playing close to 30 minutes a game and is the primary ball handler for the second unit.  Nobody's "in his way."

Smart has had 1 game where he scored 27 points and everyone is going nuts.

Isaiah AVERAGED 28 points per game for the season. 

However clutch this one game was for Smart, (and believe me I think it was awesome)  let's not pretend he's suddenly capable of doing that on a nightly basis. He's struggled to break 10 ppg for the last three seasons.

I remember there was a game  these playoffs when he scored 29 points or something like that, and the sports talk next morning was how he was "largely contained". The guy is ridiculously good when not broken.

[johnnygreen]

One thing I've been reminded of is that the playoffs is different from the regular season in terms of style. Teams really seek to exploit weak links defensively, and that's one reason why this debate around IT is legitimate. There was a stretch during the third quarter of game 7 of the Wizards series where IT got absolutely roasted possession after possession. Now, some of that is due to his being hurt, but it's also due to the fact that he's 5'9".

So, maybe a team without IT wouldn't win 53 games (I say they're much better defensively and probably win 44-48), but they may actually a better matchup against some teams in the playoffs.

Of course, it would be nice to have an offensive savant who's also a good defender, with size, who can not get posted up and who can swtich pick & rolls. That, my friends, is why people are enticed by Fultz.

To me, this is a valid argument of why the Celtics will probably not extend IT. Isaiah is the ultimate regular season player, but not necessarily anything close to that, from a plus minus perspective, when the playoffs arrive. However, I also think we need to pump the brakes on moving on from IT, if we're basing the argument off of last night's game. If the Celtics can carry the momentum from last night's win and somehow win the series, then your argument becomes justifiable.

When the Celtics shut down Isaiah for the season after game two, I assume it was to preserve his health for next season and his future. If the Celtics somehow come back in this series, will Danny receive an unforeseen benefit as well? The benefit being potentially able to avoid the PR nightmare of not extending IT because there would be proof that the team can win in the playoffs without Isaiah.

[Tr1boy]

The Celts would average less than 100 points per game over a full season without Isaiah as currently constructed.

Don't let a game in which Marcus Smart played like Steph Curry mislead you.

They would almost certainly be better defensively, but would they hold opponents to less than 100 points?

disagree

Lets say IT4 was injured halfway through the season

The celtics may go on a losing streak....but eventually the team you saw last night would result

yeah Smart doesn't go 7/10 on a daily basis....but  you can still beat many teams with AL, AB, KO etc chipping in. Team offense and defense

don't discount the fact this team would be better on the defensive end without IT4.

Scoring is not everything.   

IT4 is missed...but without him this is a different team .  Other players step up

[CoachBo]

I mean, we were 2-4 without him in the regular season, and one of those wins was a close game over Brooklyn.

We were 14-7 with him playing in 2015; 26-35 without him.

We were down 21 last night before the Cavs let down.

Are we clearly better than Chicago and Miami without IT? I don't think so. I think a lottery projection is fair.

The problem with the OP is a common overreaction on this board - claiming that one game refutes an established pattern. We saw it in the gleeful claims here that Gerald Green was indispensible in the Chicago series.

It doesn't. Get back to me when we win this series.

[wdleehi]

They would be in the mix for the number 8 seed.   You can not overlook what IT's fourth quarter meant to this team.