NBA 2020-2021 Season Thread

[hpantazo]

So the C’s are playing the Nets if they make it though the play in... Harden, KD, and Kyrie will be playing in the final two games vs Chicago and Cleveland. Philly just needs to beat Orlando to secure the #1 seed in the East. This sucks.

Are we guaranteed the 7th seed if we make it through the play in? What if we lose the 1st game but win the second game of the play-in? Wouldn't that get us the 8th seed?

[liam]

So the C’s are playing the Nets if they make it though the play in... Harden, KD, and Kyrie will be playing in the final two games vs Chicago and Cleveland. Philly just needs to beat Orlando to secure the #1 seed in the East. This sucks.

Are we guaranteed the 7th seed if we make it through the play in? What if we lose the 1st game but win the second game of the play-in? Wouldn't that get us the 8th seed?

No, we could get 7th or eighth depending on winning and losing. We could also just drop out altogether.

[liam]

Brian Robb: Celtics have officially locked up the No. 7 seed in East with losses tonight by Hornets and Pacers. They will host No. 8 seed on Tuesday night at Garden in play-in tournament.

Rest the starters the next two games

Stevens and some of the players were saying they want to use those two games to get some rhythm and continuity. They need it, so far they look like a preseason team and the [dang] playoffs are starting.

Teams trying to get some rhythm and continuity 70 games into the season. Smh...

While injuries are part of the problem, another huge issue is the way Brad manages the lineup. Outside of the starters, no one knows who will play or how much. PP might come in, miss a shot and get benched for two quarters. Grant Williams might be a DNP after playing 25 minutes the last game. Tremont might be starter or he might not play for a month. I can only imagine how frustrating and hard it is to keep yourself mentally keen with the Stevens magic 8-ball deciding if you'll play.

You stole my magic 8 ball line!!!!  But you are right it's been this way all year. I've been complaining about it all year. He's just been jerking guys around. Pritchard said in an article I posted on here but can't find now, that he didn't understand his role or know how much time he'd get from night to night. I hope Brad has some playoff rotations in mind.

[liam]

So the C’s are playing the Nets if they make it though the play in... Harden, KD, and Kyrie will be playing in the final two games vs Chicago and Cleveland. Philly just needs to beat Orlando to secure the #1 seed in the East. This sucks.

I think Kemba and Smart match up well against Kyrie and Harden but can Tatum play KD to a standstill? The Nets bench is also stacked with vets and ours is rooks and near rooks.

[Tr1boy]

So the C’s are playing the Nets if they make it though the play in... Harden, KD, and Kyrie will be playing in the final two games vs Chicago and Cleveland. Philly just needs to beat Orlando to secure the #1 seed in the East. This sucks.

Are we guaranteed the 7th seed if we make it through the play in? What if we lose the 1st game but win the second game of the play-in? Wouldn't that get us the 8th seed?

No, we could get 7th or eighth depending on winning and losing. We could also just drop out altogether.

7th or 8th

Cant see the Celts beating either 76ers or Nets

I never want to lose

But with Brown out and this cursed season... it would be more peaceful to lose the play in tourney

[hpantazo]

So the C’s are playing the Nets if they make it though the play in... Harden, KD, and Kyrie will be playing in the final two games vs Chicago and Cleveland. Philly just needs to beat Orlando to secure the #1 seed in the East. This sucks.

Are we guaranteed the 7th seed if we make it through the play in? What if we lose the 1st game but win the second game of the play-in? Wouldn't that get us the 8th seed?

No, we could get 7th or eighth depending on winning and losing. We could also just drop out altogether.

7th or 8th

Cant see the Celts beating either 76ers or Nets

I never want to lose

But with Brown out and this cursed season... it would be more peaceful to lose the play in tourney

Getting playoff game revenue would help if we want ownership to pay up for a championship level roster down the road though

[Birdman]

Nets will embarrass the Celtics

[jambr380]

Brian Robb: Celtics have officially locked up the No. 7 seed in East with losses tonight by Hornets and Pacers. They will host No. 8 seed on Tuesday night at Garden in play-in tournament.

Rest the starters the next two games

Stevens and some of the players were saying they want to use those two games to get some rhythm and continuity. They need it, so far they look like a preseason team and the [dang] playoffs are starting.

That is asinine. Stevens needs to get Tatum some rest for the first time this season. Covid doesn't count and he played in the All-Star game. We are locked to our slot, let's get some of the other guys more minutes and see who is looking good and who isn't heading into the play-in.

[Celtics2021]

So the C’s are playing the Nets if they make it though the play in... Harden, KD, and Kyrie will be playing in the final two games vs Chicago and Cleveland. Philly just needs to beat Orlando to secure the #1 seed in the East. This sucks.

The C’s can make it through the play-in by losing the first game and winning the second, thus making them the 8th seed.

[Goldstar88]

So the C’s are playing the Nets if they make it though the play in... Harden, KD, and Kyrie will be playing in the final two games vs Chicago and Cleveland. Philly just needs to beat Orlando to secure the #1 seed in the East. This sucks.

The C’s can make it through the play-in by losing the first game and winning the second, thus making them the 8th seed.

Oh, good. Fingers crossed...

[Celtics2021]

Brian Robb: Celtics have officially locked up the No. 7 seed in East with losses tonight by Hornets and Pacers. They will host No. 8 seed on Tuesday night at Garden in play-in tournament.

Rest the starters the next two games

Stevens and some of the players were saying they want to use those two games to get some rhythm and continuity. They need it, so far they look like a preseason team and the [dang] playoffs are starting.

That is asinine. Stevens needs to get Tatum some rest for the first time this season. Covid doesn't count and he played in the All-Star game. We are locked to our slot, let's get some of the other guys more minutes and see who is looking good and who isn't heading into the play-in.

With two off days, it’s not crazy to play 25-30 minutes against a bad Minnesota team, get a win to wipe the bad taste out of your mouth, and then rest a couple more days before hosting the 8th seed.  Certainly there won’t be anyone of import playing a back-to-back vs. the Knicks.  I’m in favor of resting them in general, but if the players are demanding to suit up, just take it as a sign that they haven’t given up on the season and be glad for that.

[nickagneta]

Brian Robb: Celtics have officially locked up the No. 7 seed in East with losses tonight by Hornets and Pacers. They will host No. 8 seed on Tuesday night at Garden in play-in tournament.

Rest the starters the next two games

Stevens and some of the players were saying they want to use those two games to get some rhythm and continuity. They need it, so far they look like a preseason team and the [dang] playoffs are starting.

Teams trying to get some rhythm and continuity 70 games into the season. Smh...

While injuries are part of the problem, another huge issue is the way Brad manages the lineup. Outside of the starters, no one knows who will play or how much. PP might come in, miss a shot and get benched for two quarters. Grant Williams might be a DNP after playing 25 minutes the last game. Tremont might be starter or he might not play for a month. I can only imagine how frustrating and hard it is to keep yourself mentally keen with the Stevens magic 8-ball deciding if you'll play.

You stole my magic 8 ball line!!!!  But you are right it's been this way all year. I've been complaining about it all year. He's just been jerking guys around. Pritchard said in an article I posted on here but can't find now, that he didn't understand his role or know how much time he'd get from night to night. I hope Brad has some playoff rotations in mind.

For young guys in development, it's been this way for eight years. And you know what? It seems to work. Smart, Rozier, Brown, Tatum, Timelord, Theis, Semi, Nesmith and Pritchard are all better now than when they started as Celtics. Some massively better.

Bench guys, whether youth or veteran, have the job of needing to be ready whenever they are called to be as great as they can in the time given. Some are given regular roles, like Pritchard as the ~17-20 MPG backup guard. Semi as the whenever needed 12th-13th guy on the bench. Timelord and Thompson as the 20-28 MPG starting or bench big. Fournier will be the future 6th man/sometimes starter. Nesmith seems to be settling into that 9th player in the rotation Energizer Bunny role.

But for those guys that are 10th or lower on the depth chart, it's their jobs to be ready whenever they are called upon, if they are called upon. Going anywhere from DNP-CD to 25 minutes a game is just part of the job. And since the whole bench after the 9th guy are super young or just bad players, the volatility in minutes gets exasperated.

[liam]

Brian Robb: Celtics have officially locked up the No. 7 seed in East with losses tonight by Hornets and Pacers. They will host No. 8 seed on Tuesday night at Garden in play-in tournament.

Rest the starters the next two games

Stevens and some of the players were saying they want to use those two games to get some rhythm and continuity. They need it, so far they look like a preseason team and the [dang] playoffs are starting.

Teams trying to get some rhythm and continuity 70 games into the season. Smh...

While injuries are part of the problem, another huge issue is the way Brad manages the lineup. Outside of the starters, no one knows who will play or how much. PP might come in, miss a shot and get benched for two quarters. Grant Williams might be a DNP after playing 25 minutes the last game. Tremont might be starter or he might not play for a month. I can only imagine how frustrating and hard it is to keep yourself mentally keen with the Stevens magic 8-ball deciding if you'll play.

You stole my magic 8 ball line!!!!  But you are right it's been this way all year. I've been complaining about it all year. He's just been jerking guys around. Pritchard said in an article I posted on here but can't find now, that he didn't understand his role or know how much time he'd get from night to night. I hope Brad has some playoff rotations in mind.

For young guys in development, it's been this way for eight years. And you know what? It seems to work. Smart, Rozier, Brown, Tatum, Timelord, Theis, Semi, Nesmith and Pritchard are all better now than when they started as Celtics. Some massively better.

Bench guys, whether youth or veteran, have the job of needing to be ready whenever they are called to be as great as they can in the time given. Some are given regular roles, like Pritchard as the ~17-20 MPG backup guard. Semi as the whenever needed 12th-13th guy on the bench. Timelord and Thompson as the 20-28 MPG starting or bench big. Fournier will be the future 6th man/sometimes starter. Nesmith seems to be settling into that 9th player in the rotation Energizer Bunny role.

But for those guys that are 10th or lower on the depth chart, it's their jobs to be ready whenever they are called upon, if they are called upon. Going anywhere from DNP-CD to 25 minutes a game is just part of the job. And since the whole bench after the 9th guy are super young or just bad players, the volatility in minutes gets exasperated.

Pritchard's playing time:

13
25
23
27
21
16
28
32
20
23
25
17
19
2
19
23
15
29
29
17
23
23
17
17
17
30
21
23
24
13
13
12
19
20
11
17
4
20
23
15
16
15
17
9
16
12
10
12
20
22
31
21
24
16
33
29
13
19
18
11
8
13
26

[nickagneta]

Brian Robb: Celtics have officially locked up the No. 7 seed in East with losses tonight by Hornets and Pacers. They will host No. 8 seed on Tuesday night at Garden in play-in tournament.

Rest the starters the next two games

Stevens and some of the players were saying they want to use those two games to get some rhythm and continuity. They need it, so far they look like a preseason team and the [dang] playoffs are starting.

Teams trying to get some rhythm and continuity 70 games into the season. Smh...

While injuries are part of the problem, another huge issue is the way Brad manages the lineup. Outside of the starters, no one knows who will play or how much. PP might come in, miss a shot and get benched for two quarters. Grant Williams might be a DNP after playing 25 minutes the last game. Tremont might be starter or he might not play for a month. I can only imagine how frustrating and hard it is to keep yourself mentally keen with the Stevens magic 8-ball deciding if you'll play.

You stole my magic 8 ball line!!!!  But you are right it's been this way all year. I've been complaining about it all year. He's just been jerking guys around. Pritchard said in an article I posted on here but can't find now, that he didn't understand his role or know how much time he'd get from night to night. I hope Brad has some playoff rotations in mind.

For young guys in development, it's been this way for eight years. And you know what? It seems to work. Smart, Rozier, Brown, Tatum, Timelord, Theis, Semi, Nesmith and Pritchard are all better now than when they started as Celtics. Some massively better.

Bench guys, whether youth or veteran, have the job of needing to be ready whenever they are called to be as great as they can in the time given. Some are given regular roles, like Pritchard as the ~17-20 MPG backup guard. Semi as the whenever needed 12th-13th guy on the bench. Timelord and Thompson as the 20-28 MPG starting or bench big. Fournier will be the future 6th man/sometimes starter. Nesmith seems to be settling into that 9th player in the rotation Energizer Bunny role.

But for those guys that are 10th or lower on the depth chart, it's their jobs to be ready whenever they are called upon, if they are called upon. Going anywhere from DNP-CD to 25 minutes a game is just part of the job. And since the whole bench after the 9th guy are super young or just bad players, the volatility in minutes gets exasperated.

Pritchard's playing time:

13
25
23
27
21
16
28
32
20
23
25
17
19
2
19
23
15
29
29
17
23
23
17
17
17
30
21
23
24
13
13
12
19
20
11
17
4
20
23
15
16
15
17
9
16
12
10
12
20
22
31
21
24
16
33
29
13
19
18
11
8
13
26

So you show I am right. He averages 19 MPG and if you give a normal variance of say +/-4 minutes he played 34 of 64 games in that range.

Now if you look at some of the wider outliers, I am sure there are reasons for them like blowouts and injuries to other players. I am guessing that accounts for a lot of the final 30 games.

I get it. Pritchard is your binkie and you want him playing consistently larger minutes. But that's not his role. The team has a bunch of guards that are better than Payton and deserve their minutes, which limits Pritchard's.

And I know you are going to bring up Waters starting ahead of Payton, but that makes sense because Stevens has found a role Pritchard is playing well in and wanted to keep him in that role. Stevens has also done this for years, playing deep bench guys in the starting lineup if a starter is out, rather than disrupting the rotation by starting the guy that is 6th through 8th in the depth chart. Semi and Grant have both been used that way this year and in previous years.

[SparzWizard]

Lakers dodging a bullet with the Clippers. They prob won't see them until the WCF, and that is if the Clippers beat both the Mavs and Jazz.

Sadly, I think LeBron is gonna cruise to another title this year as a 6th or 7th seed. Denver is a bad matchup for Lakers with Murray out, followed by the Suns or Blazers who would have trouble stopping a fully healthy AD and LBJ.