Heat (3-1) at Celtics (1-3) ECF Game #5 5/25/23

[Phantom255x]

Could be 4D chess by Spoelstra. Rule someone out, C's get overconfident and lose 

Or, you know, the Celtics can actually be the Celtics and still beat them because they are more talented. It's really not that hard. C's making it though with their inconsistency and lack of mental fortitude when any adversity hits

[celticinorlando]

Just more of fat ass Lowry and his flopping and moving screens.

[Vermont Green]

Just more of fat ass Lowry and his flopping and moving screens.

Vincent has averaged 35 min.  Lowry is already playing 25 min on average.  They can bump Lowry up some, and I am sure they will, but it is going to take more than that to replace all of Vincent's minutes.

[kraidstar]

Could be 4D chess by Spoelstra. Rule someone out, C's get overconfident and lose 

Or, you know, the Celtics can actually be the Celtics and still beat them because they are more talented. It's really not that hard. C's making it though with their inconsistency and lack of mental fortitude when any adversity hits

I guess Spoelstra has reached Belichickean mythical status here lol.

[Vermont Green]

Could be 4D chess by Spoelstra. Rule someone out, C's get overconfident and lose 

Or, you know, the Celtics can actually be the Celtics and still beat them because they are more talented. It's really not that hard. C's making it though with their inconsistency and lack of mental fortitude when any adversity hits

I guess Spoelstra has reached Belichickean mythical status here lol.

Yeah, Spoelsta can 4D chess all he wants, and I am sure he will try everything to get this into the Celtics' heads, but this only increases the talent and depth advantage that the Celtics should already have, even with Brogdon out or limited also.  If the Celtics let this get into their heads in any way, that is entirely on the Celtics.

[Roy H.]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/surprising-number-tickets-still-available-132314283.html

Surprisingly decent prices for ECF. 

[Goldstar88]

I want to see some good…

[Donoghus]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/surprising-number-tickets-still-available-132314283.html

Surprisingly decent prices for ECF.

Yeah, I think there is a still a good amount of skepticism about whether they can really get back into the series.  So lackluster on the ticket sales.    I remember being at the old, old Baseball Tavern before Game 4 of the '04 ALCS and people were selling tickets below face value.  Little did we know....

If this thing does get to a Game 7, you're going to see one of the hottest ticket prices for a non-Finals Celtics game ever.

[liam]

I want to see some good…

The old picket fence!

 

[Roy H.]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/surprising-number-tickets-still-available-132314283.html

Surprisingly decent prices for ECF.

Yeah, I think there is a still a good amount of skepticism about whether they can really get back into the series.  So lackluster on the ticket sales.    I remember being at the old, old Baseball Tavern before Game 4 of the '04 ALCS and people were selling tickets below face value.  Little did we know....

If this thing does get to a Game 7, you're going to see one of the hottest ticket prices for a non-Finals Celtics game ever.

And yet, every single one of those people who sold tickets now talks about how they saw that Roberts stolen base and knew it was something special, haha.

And yep, those prices being quoted today could triple for a Game 7.

[Phantom255x]

Limiting Bam feels like the key. Yes, Butler is their alpha and he'll get his, but if Bam also dominates and impacts the game we usually suffer. He had 20/8/5 in Game 1, then 22/17/9 in Game 2. Butler and Bam were meh in Game 3 BUT their role players all looked like Steph Curry so that negated things. Bam was extremely ordinary in Game 4 though and we won by 17, despite Butler having 29/9.

It's not just the scoring, but if Bam can control the paint on both ends and also facilitate freely, it just makes life a lot harder. Horford unfortunately doesn't seem like a good matchup against Bam. He's good against Giannis/Embiid, not Bam though. Timelord and G-Will are going to have to help a ton.

Call me crazy but I don't see why Muscala can't get some minutes either. He's a stretch big who can shoot, and if Horford's shot isn't falling then maybe Muscala can help. Really not sure why we traded for him if we just aren't going to use him at all this postseason, and even the final stretch of the regular season.

[Phantom255x]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/surprising-number-tickets-still-available-132314283.html

Surprisingly decent prices for ECF.

Lol it's unlikely but if you definitely plan to go to a hypothetical Finals game at TD Garden, buy tickets NOW. $600 as the cheapest listed right now for Games 1-2 of the Finals? RUN WITH THAT. If the C's miraculously come back, those prices will go back to $1100 as the cheapest 

[Vermont Green]

Limiting Bam feels like the key. Yes, Butler is their alpha and he'll get his, but if Bam also dominates and impacts the game we usually suffer. He had 20/8/5 in Game 1, then 22/17/9 in Game 2. Butler and Bam were meh in Game 3 BUT their role players all looked like Steph Curry so that negated things. Bam was extremely ordinary in Game 4 though and we won by 17, despite Butler having 29/9.

It's not just the scoring, but if Bam can control the paint on both ends and also facilitate freely, it just makes life a lot harder. Horford unfortunately doesn't seem like a good matchup against Bam. He's good against Giannis/Embiid, not Bam though. Timelord and G-Will are going to have to help a ton.

Call me crazy but I don't see why Muscala can't get some minutes either. He's a stretch big who can shoot, and if Horford's shot isn't falling then maybe Muscala can help. Really not sure why we traded for him if we just aren't going to use him at all this postseason, and even the final stretch of the regular season.

You crazy!

Seriously though, Brogdon is probably not going to play much tonight.  He has been ineffective and now we know why.  So there are going to be some rotation adjustments.  But I will be shocked if we see Muscala before garbage time.  Pritchard and/or Hauser?  Yes, but not Muscala.  And I am OK with that.

[Phantom255x]

Limiting Bam feels like the key. Yes, Butler is their alpha and he'll get his, but if Bam also dominates and impacts the game we usually suffer. He had 20/8/5 in Game 1, then 22/17/9 in Game 2. Butler and Bam were meh in Game 3 BUT their role players all looked like Steph Curry so that negated things. Bam was extremely ordinary in Game 4 though and we won by 17, despite Butler having 29/9.

It's not just the scoring, but if Bam can control the paint on both ends and also facilitate freely, it just makes life a lot harder. Horford unfortunately doesn't seem like a good matchup against Bam. He's good against Giannis/Embiid, not Bam though. Timelord and G-Will are going to have to help a ton.

Call me crazy but I don't see why Muscala can't get some minutes either. He's a stretch big who can shoot, and if Horford's shot isn't falling then maybe Muscala can help. Really not sure why we traded for him if we just aren't going to use him at all this postseason, and even the final stretch of the regular season.

You crazy!

Seriously though, Brogdon is probably not going to play much tonight.  He has been ineffective and now we know why.  So there are going to be some rotation adjustments.  But I will be shocked if we see Muscala before garbage time.  Pritchard and/or Hauser?  Yes, but not Muscala.  And I am OK with that.

That's fine. I feel the same with Hauser, he's not a complete liability on defense and he's probably one of our best 3-point shooters on the team. If we need scoring, he needs to be taking some of these shots.

[blink]

I want to see some good…

oh man yes!  the level of our def intensity and effort is proportional to our flow and success on offense.  Play def first, the rest will work itself out.