Celtics get Philly in the first round

[BringToughnessBack]

New injury for the beast at center?

https://www.nba.com/article/2020/08/12/joel-embiid-exits-game-right-hand-injury

If we cannot best this team minus Simmons, we would have no chance vs The Queen of the West- I am expecting a sweep.

Tatum, Brown, Kemba and Gordon should destroy this team.

[SHAQATTACK]

My thoughts are if we can't be philly then we have no business thinking big anyway.

Very well put

+1

[Jvalin]

Love it! I really enjoy our rivalry with the Sixers! I bet it's gonna be a fun series to watch!

Problem is, we have no answer for Embiid.

- Theis ain't big/strong enough.
- Timelord ain't experienced/strong enough.
- Kanter ain't mobile enough. He's next to useless at defending the pick n roll/pop. He cannot follow Embiid on the perimeter.

The Sixers are no pushovers. They are a bad fit for the C's. Not to mention, they'll have the best player on the court in Embiid. If it weren't for Simmons' injury, I believe both teams would have had an even chance of winning the series. Now that Simmons is injured, I'm confident that we'll get the job done.

Celtics in 6

[Somebody]

Love it! I really enjoy our rivalry with the Sixers! I bet it's gonna be a fun series to watch!

Problem is, we have no answer for Embiid.

- Theis ain't big/strong enough.
- Timelord ain't experienced/strong enough.
- Kanter ain't mobile enough. He's next to useless at defending the pick n roll/pop. He cannot follow Embiid on the perimeter.

The Sixers are no pushovers. They are a bad fit for the C's. Not to mention, they'll have the best player on the court in Embiid. If it weren't for Simmons' injury, I believe both teams would have had an even chance of winning the series. Now that Simmons is injured, I'm confident that we'll get the job done.

Celtics in 6

Basketball is a team game, and they have no answer to our perimeter players  - they really only have Richardson and Thybulle. I'd be very surprised if they manage to take one game off us, ntm two.

[ozgod]

Looking forward to it! Embiid, even injured, will be a good test for us to start the playoffs. I think they'll have a lot of problems guarding us on the perimeter, particularly with Al in "Average Al" form.

[slamtheking]

earlier in the season, a thread was created asking people who they hoped the C's would face (or more specifically, avoid) in the playoffs.  I posted I wanted Philly, Toronto, Milwaukee and the Lakers.  No title is as satisfying or unquestioned when you play and beat the best.  That, and beating the Sixers in the playoffs is always sweet and nothing is as ultimately satisfying as beating the Lakers for a title.

looks like this is just how the playoffs are going to go for the C's at least until the Finals.

[ozgod]

earlier in the season, a thread was created asking people who they hoped the C's would face (or more specifically, avoid) in the playoffs.  I posted I wanted Philly, Toronto, Milwaukee and the Lakers.  No title is as satisfying or unquestioned when you play and beat the best.  That, and beating the Sixers in the playoffs is always sweet and nothing is as ultimately satisfying as beating the Lakers for a title.

looks like this is just how the playoffs are going to go for the C's at least until the Finals.

TP I totally agree. Gotta play the best to beat the best, to mean the most.

[Ogaju]

earlier in the season, a thread was created asking people who they hoped the C's would face (or more specifically, avoid) in the playoffs.  I posted I wanted Philly, Toronto, Milwaukee and the Lakers.  No title is as satisfying or unquestioned when you play and beat the best.  That, and beating the Sixers in the playoffs is always sweet and nothing is as ultimately satisfying as beating the Lakers for a title.

looks like this is just how the playoffs are going to go for the C's at least until the Finals.

TP I totally agree. Gotta play the best to beat the best, to mean the most.

Then yuo should want the Clippers because they are better than the Lakers.

[hpantazo]

earlier in the season, a thread was created asking people who they hoped the C's would face (or more specifically, avoid) in the playoffs.  I posted I wanted Philly, Toronto, Milwaukee and the Lakers.  No title is as satisfying or unquestioned when you play and beat the best.  That, and beating the Sixers in the playoffs is always sweet and nothing is as ultimately satisfying as beating the Lakers for a title.

looks like this is just how the playoffs are going to go for the C's at least until the Finals.

TP I totally agree. Gotta play the best to beat the best, to mean the most.

Then yuo should want the Clippers because they are better than the Lakers.

A Clippers-Celtics series would be very entertaining! The quality of basketball would be exceptional and the games would all be very close. Two well-designed, evenly matched teams.

[Jvalin]

Love it! I really enjoy our rivalry with the Sixers! I bet it's gonna be a fun series to watch!

Problem is, we have no answer for Embiid.

- Theis ain't big/strong enough.
- Timelord ain't experienced/strong enough.
- Kanter ain't mobile enough. He's next to useless at defending the pick n roll/pop. He cannot follow Embiid on the perimeter.

The Sixers are no pushovers. They are a bad fit for the C's. Not to mention, they'll have the best player on the court in Embiid. If it weren't for Simmons' injury, I believe both teams would have had an even chance of winning the series. Now that Simmons is injured, I'm confident that we'll get the job done.

Celtics in 6

Basketball is a team game, and they have no answer to our perimeter players  - they really only have Richardson and Thybulle. I'd be very surprised if they manage to take one game off us, ntm two.

To put it another way, they have no answer assuming we exclude 2 answers: Thybulle and Richardson. Sounds legit.

Btw, what do you mean "only" Thybulle and Richardson? Thybulle is a pest on D! One of the best perimeter defenders around the league. JRich is a terrific defender as well.

[gouki88]

earlier in the season, a thread was created asking people who they hoped the C's would face (or more specifically, avoid) in the playoffs.  I posted I wanted Philly, Toronto, Milwaukee and the Lakers.  No title is as satisfying or unquestioned when you play and beat the best.  That, and beating the Sixers in the playoffs is always sweet and nothing is as ultimately satisfying as beating the Lakers for a title.

looks like this is just how the playoffs are going to go for the C's at least until the Finals.

TP I totally agree. Gotta play the best to beat the best, to mean the most.

Then yuo should want the Clippers because they are better than the Lakers.

A Clippers-Celtics series would be very entertaining! The quality of basketball would be exceptional and the games would all be very close. Two well-designed, evenly matched teams.

That wing matchup would be awesome. Also two of the opposite kinds of sixth men - DPOY candidate guard (Smart) vs offensive flamethrower 6MOTY (Lou Will). Lots of fun matchups.

Then the whole coaching matchup of old C’s champion coach vs new. I’d have lots of fun that series, besides the nightmare that Kawhi can be. Not too scared of PG, he’s been pretty bad in playoffs lately.

[SparzWizard]

earlier in the season, a thread was created asking people who they hoped the C's would face (or more specifically, avoid) in the playoffs.  I posted I wanted Philly, Toronto, Milwaukee and the Lakers.  No title is as satisfying or unquestioned when you play and beat the best.  That, and beating the Sixers in the playoffs is always sweet and nothing is as ultimately satisfying as beating the Lakers for a title.

looks like this is just how the playoffs are going to go for the C's at least until the Finals.

TP I totally agree. Gotta play the best to beat the best, to mean the most.

Then yuo should want the Clippers because they are better than the Lakers.

A Clippers-Celtics series would be very entertaining! The quality of basketball would be exceptional and the games would all be very close. Two well-designed, evenly matched teams.

That wing matchup would be awesome. Also two of the opposite kinds of sixth men - DPOY candidate guard (Smart) vs offensive flamethrower 6MOTY (Lou Will). Lots of fun matchups.

Then the whole coaching matchup of old C’s champion coach vs new. I’d have lots of fun that series, besides the nightmare that Kawhi can be. Not too scared of PG, he’s been pretty bad in playoffs lately.

That would be nice, but unfortunately, the NBA and Adam Silver won't let that happen. They want ratings and LOTS of TV ratings- what better way than to have a Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals rematch of the decade lol. LeBron/AD3 vs Tatum/Brown and the Celtics. Frank Vogel vs Brad Stevens. A combined 33 championships where one team winning the chip can tie the banner counts, or the other team winning the chip will finally achieve their 18th banner.

[Somebody]

Love it! I really enjoy our rivalry with the Sixers! I bet it's gonna be a fun series to watch!

Problem is, we have no answer for Embiid.

- Theis ain't big/strong enough.
- Timelord ain't experienced/strong enough.
- Kanter ain't mobile enough. He's next to useless at defending the pick n roll/pop. He cannot follow Embiid on the perimeter.

The Sixers are no pushovers. They are a bad fit for the C's. Not to mention, they'll have the best player on the court in Embiid. If it weren't for Simmons' injury, I believe both teams would have had an even chance of winning the series. Now that Simmons is injured, I'm confident that we'll get the job done.

Celtics in 6

Basketball is a team game, and they have no answer to our perimeter players  - they really only have Richardson and Thybulle. I'd be very surprised if they manage to take one game off us, ntm two.

To put it another way, they have no answer assuming we exclude 2 answers: Thybulle and Richardson. Sounds legit.

Btw, what do you mean "only" Thybulle and Richardson? Thybulle is a pest on D! One of the best perimeter defenders around the league. JRich is a terrific defender as well.

We have 4 options though? They have no answer to guarding all 4 of our main offensive options, "sounds legit" that you think 2 answers can deal with 4 questions

"Only" as in 2 great perimeter defenders are not enough for them.

[Jvalin]

Love it! I really enjoy our rivalry with the Sixers! I bet it's gonna be a fun series to watch!

Problem is, we have no answer for Embiid.

- Theis ain't big/strong enough.
- Timelord ain't experienced/strong enough.
- Kanter ain't mobile enough. He's next to useless at defending the pick n roll/pop. He cannot follow Embiid on the perimeter.

The Sixers are no pushovers. They are a bad fit for the C's. Not to mention, they'll have the best player on the court in Embiid. If it weren't for Simmons' injury, I believe both teams would have had an even chance of winning the series. Now that Simmons is injured, I'm confident that we'll get the job done.

Celtics in 6

Basketball is a team game, and they have no answer to our perimeter players  - they really only have Richardson and Thybulle. I'd be very surprised if they manage to take one game off us, ntm two.

To put it another way, they have no answer assuming we exclude 2 answers: Thybulle and Richardson. Sounds legit.

Btw, what do you mean "only" Thybulle and Richardson? Thybulle is a pest on D! One of the best perimeter defenders around the league. JRich is a terrific defender as well.

We have 4 options though? They have no answer to guarding all 4 of our main offensive options, "sounds legit" that you think 2 answers can deal with 4 questions

"Only" as in 2 great perimeter defenders are not enough for them.

3/5 of their starting lineup are plus defenders (JRich, Horford, Embiid). They also got an elite defender coming off the bench in Thybulle.

No team around the league starts 4 great defenders at the guards+wings positions. You said it yourself: basketball is a team game. I mean, it's not like the rest of their players are cones on defense.

Losing Simmons is a massive blow for them on the defensive side of the ball. Having said that, I would argue that Thybulle is an elite perimeter defender. Imo, him and Smart are the 2 best defensive guards in the NBA.

The way I see it, Philly's #1 problem is at the PG position. Milton ain't a playoff-caliber starting PG. He ain't even a PG to begin with. It seems to me that most of their players are playing hero ball. There is not enough passing in their starting unit. Embiid might be their only starter with a clear identifiable role. If you ask me, they desperately need a legit PG.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

New injury for the beast at center?

https://www.nba.com/article/2020/08/12/joel-embiid-exits-game-right-hand-injury

If we cannot best this team minus Simmons, we would have no chance vs The Queen of the West- I am expecting a sweep.

Tatum, Brown, Kemba and Gordon should destroy this team.

Don't underestimate a team that has had disfunction all year and then had one or two of the sources of the disfunction go down with injury.

Al Horford is still a good leader that can orchestrate a solid team that plays above its talent level. Josh Richardson has a huge chip on his shoulder and has a nasty tendency to catch fire. Milton is better than people realize and could legit blossom with the ball in his hands more. Tobias Harris is about the same level of player as Brown and Hayward, if not slightly better.

Korkmaz might benefit from a more open floor with more shooters. Thybulle is good. Pelle has a nasty tendency of looking like prime Tyson Chandler against us.

Admittedly, Brett Brown is still their coach and I seriously doubt his ability to get them playing together above their talent level, but this team still has a lots of talent and suddenly has a roster that fits together better.