If We Just Tank…

[GreenlyGreeny]

…who are the consensus top five players in the 2022 draft and how do you project their fit/chemistry with Tatum and/or Brown?

I’ve obviously given up on hopes of a turnaround this season that puts us in contention for the title, so I’m rooting for a tank and a hero…

[Ogaju]

this team is tankproof. Two all-star caliber players, rookie head coach. Not tank material.

[seancally]

this team is tankproof. Two all-star caliber players, rookie head coach. Not tank material.

I mean, you say that…

I’m not in favor of tanking but this team has been actively trying to win and it’s still tied with Toronto for the last two spots in the play-in. With Atlanta half a game on its heals. So if we wanted to lose more games I doubt we’re just too good to possibly do so.

[Goldstar88]

5 games out of 2nd place in the East and the season isn’t even half over. Only on CelticsStrong...

[Walker Wiggle]

They’ve got a really favorable 2nd half schedule, just like they’ve had a really tough 1st half schedule. This is going to be an above .500 albeit non-contending team by the end of the regular season.

[PAOBoston]

What would tanking accomplish exactly? A pick somewhere in the 10-16 range? They are not that bad. They just need to clean up some of the waste on the roster to add legit pieces to JB/JT that fit. Take everyone on the roster not named JB or JT and see what you can get.

[LilRip]

The team is too good to tank but also too flawed to make it out of 2nd round (or even the 1st). Developmental year.

That said, I hope PBS has some plans in the offseason

[Ogaju]

this team is tankproof. Two all-star caliber players, rookie head coach. Not tank material.

I mean, you say that…

I’m not in favor of tanking but this team has been actively trying to win and it’s still tied with Toronto for the last two spots in the play-in. With Atlanta half a game on its heals. So if we wanted to lose more games I doubt we’re just too good to possibly do so.

Team lacks the necessities to tank. A rookie coach trying to make his way in the league is not secure enough in his job to tank. The team has star players in their youth desperate to win games. These are not the structures of a tanking team.

[celticsclay]

We might already have more wins than the magic or pistons will have all Year. Okc, rockets will definitely tank (we have evidence from that from last year. Pelicans, spurs will probably shut it down end of year also.

[GreenlyGreeny]

So we’re 33 games into the season and only 6 wins away from the third worst record in the league. If JB or JT got injured for the season next month, or we traded one for a bunch of picks (OKC treasure chest?), we’d easily be able to have a good shot at a top 5 pick.

We’re on the treadmill and it’s better to be a top lottery team with a shot at a blue chip than drafting 14-19 (as we know all too well with Romeo, Nesmith, Yabusele, Young, etc.)

[seancally]

this team is tankproof. Two all-star caliber players, rookie head coach. Not tank material.

I mean, you say that…

I’m not in favor of tanking but this team has been actively trying to win and it’s still tied with Toronto for the last two spots in the play-in. With Atlanta half a game on its heals. So if we wanted to lose more games I doubt we’re just too good to possibly do so.

Team lacks the necessities to tank. A rookie coach trying to make his way in the league is not secure enough in his job to tank. The team has star players in their youth desperate to win games. These are not the structures of a tanking team.

Yeah the best this team can muster over a third of the way through the season is 2 games below .500. What is it about that performance that makes you think they’re just a class above? Knicks, Raptors and Hawks are all right around the Celtics’ record. There is a DISTINCT possibility that we slip out of the play-in and miss the playoffs altogether. So yeah, color me skeptical that it’s simply impossible this team enters the lottery.

[ausbacker]

The team is too good to tank but also too flawed to make it out of 2nd round (or even the 1st). Developmental year.

That said, I hope PBS has some plans in the offseason

Their record suggests otherwise. Boston isn't a good team and the sooner supporters wake up to this fact, the better.

[slamtheking]

C's could be out of the play-in group if Knicks and Toronto both win tomorrow and they have winnable games.  getting to the point where missing the playoffs this season may be the better result than making the playoffs -- might just be the kick in the pants Tatum, Brown, Ime, the front office, the rest of the players and coaches need to realize that anything less than full effort every night will result in an early end to their season every year

[celticsclay]

I wouldn’t rule us out ending up in the lottery (though playin seems a lot more likely). But people have to realize we are not the only team aware of the concept of tanking. We probably have more wins than the pistons will end the year with. The magic are not far behind. Houston and Oklahoma City have given every indication they are willing to tank hard (see Horford last season and wall this year). The rockets are probably trading off Gordon and theis. Okc doesn’t have veterans to trade but they shut down sga last year. Then you have teams like the pacers also talking about blowing it up and teams like the spurs that lack talent and have a few vets they could offload. So is the serious plan to try and lose 50 out of 53 games and hope we don’t end up with the 7th pick? Let’s try and keep this somewhat realistic.

[PhoSita]

All out tanking is not really an option for the Celts, but they can definitely miss the playoffs.  I think missing the playoffs would be a net positive.  Yes, it would likely push the Jays one step closer to the door, but unless the Celts put more talent on this roster, the Jays are out the door sooner or later anyway.

I think Brad should be shopping anybody who is not clearly an asset beyond next season by the trade deadline. Even if just for second round picks or conditional firsts.  Shop Smart just to see if some psuedo-contender is willing to give you a couple of mediocre 1sts for an All-NBA defense guy with plenty of big game experience.

Then the remainder of the season, rest the Jays as much as possible and play the young guys a ton.