The Celtics' Playoff Crunchtime Lineup

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I'm still of the opinion that a Rozier-Brown-Tatum-Horford-Baynes-Morris-Smart-Monroe 8 man rotation might be better equipped to win in the playoffs than last year's Thomas-Bradley-Crowder-Johnson-Horford-Smart-Olynyk-Brown 8 man rotation.

I also think the Cavs and Wizards are not as good as they were last year. I think Raptors are fool's gold and can be beaten. The Heat, Bucks, and Pacers are all solid, inexperienced teams that are beatable.

The Sixers are probably the toughest non-Lebron matchup in the East in quite a while. They look legit good, but there are holes in that team defensively and offensively and they are more inexperienced than the Cs.

These Celtics may not have quite the offensive explosiveness as last year's team, but their offensive floor is higher with more individually gifted scorers. Their defense is worlds better than last year's team too.

I'm not saying they will come out of the East. I still don't know if they will win the first round, but then again, last year's team almost lost in the first round to the Bulls, and then in the second round to the Wizards.

I'm just saying that I give this feisty, experienced, above average offensively, elite defensively, team coached by CBS a fighter's chance in the wide open East.

Well, currently it looks like the path will start with a chronically under-achieving Bucks team, after which the likely opponent will be a Sixers team whose best two players have zero playoff experience.

It sure would be satisfying as heck to beat "The Process" while missing two of our best players.

That said, I will be surprised if this injury-plagued Celts team, whose best available individual scorer is either a rookie who averaged 14 points per game or a backup point guard who barely cracked 40% from the field, can make it past the 1st round.

Agreed. Like I said, the East is wide open. I wouldn't be surprised if any team got hot and got the right matchups and made it to the championship series.

I would be surprised if it was the Celtics, too. A team can only withstand so many morale-deflating injuries and continue to fight. If there is a team that can, it's a team under CBS with irrational confidence guys like Smart, Rozier, and Morris, and behind the development of high upside guys like Tatum and Brown, and behind the leadership of Horford.

[Big333223]

I won't be surprised by a first round exit or a trip to the conference finals. It might not be right to say I'm optimistic but I feel hopeful for what this group can accomplish.

[Moranis]

I won't be surprised by a first round exit or a trip to the conference finals. It might not be right to say I'm optimistic but I feel hopeful for what this group can accomplish.

This is where I'm at.  I don't think Boston is realistically beating Cleveland or Toronto in a series (hopefully Philly holds that 3 seed so Cleveland (or Toronto) is the ECF and not the ECS), but could absolutely see Boston beating any other team in the East and similarly could absolutely see Boston lose to Miami, Milwaukee, or Washington in the 1st round.

[bopna]

If Monroe does not miss too many bunnies...we can win the EAST.
The guy gets to the rack with so much ease and gets his shot off most of the time, problem is he is not allowed to have off nights...so does Morris. I already know what we are getting from Al, and the two J's..also we must get at least 16ppg from Rozier if we plan on advancing, anything less and we are doomed.

[footey]

Semi showing more confidence and production offensively of late. He should figure into playoff rotations.

[footey]

I won't be surprised by a first round exit or a trip to the conference finals. It might not be right to say I'm optimistic but I feel hopeful for what this group can accomplish.

This is where I'm at.  I don't think Boston is realistically beating Cleveland or Toronto in a series (hopefully Philly holds that 3 seed so Cleveland (or Toronto) is the ECF and not the ECS), but could absolutely see Boston beating any other team in the East and similarly could absolutely see Boston lose to Miami, Milwaukee, or Washington in the 1st round.

Accord.