Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks Seeding Game #1 7/31/20

[bello_man09]

Marcus smart is my favorite Celtics player.

Top 20 passer in the league and the best passer on the Celtics.

Plus he goes out fighting every game...

[slamtheking]

watched on tape delay.  today's hot takes:
- really solid games from Hayward, Smart and Jaylen.  decent games from Theis and Wanamaker. 
- Kemba looked good in his limited minutes but we need him back to regular minutes soon
- TATUM WAS HOT GARBAGE.  I don't know if he's had this bad a game ever.  just a pure negative when he was on the floor.

Bucks had a good game from pretty much all their guys at we were right in this.  They don't scare me if we can get everyone putting in the full effort, not falling behind by a huge amount within minutes and the refs don't blatantly favor the Bucks all game - particularly in the 4th quarter.   Giannis got away with so much ridiculous stuff that the refs should have been fined for incompetence.   

[Ogaju]

watched on tape delay.  today's hot takes:
- really solid games from Hayward, Smart and Jaylen.  decent games from Theis and Wanamaker. 
- Kemba looked good in his limited minutes but we need him back to regular minutes soon
- TATUM WAS HOT GARBAGE.  I don't know if he's had this bad a game ever.  just a pure negative when he was on the floor.

Bucks had a good game from pretty much all their guys at we were right in this.  They don't scare me if we can get everyone putting in the full effort, not falling behind by a huge amount within minutes and the refs don't blatantly favor the Bucks all game - particularly in the 4th quarter.   Giannis got away with so much ridiculous stuff that the refs should have been fined for incompetence.

It is not a ref issue. The referees gain absolutely NOTHING from favoring Giannis or any other star. This is an NB issue. The league wants its stars protected. The league wants its stars on the court. The referees are following the script. The NBA is a production. The referees have a script. You want to be competitive get some stars that are recognized by the league. This is the only way you balance the scale. You keep blaming the refs you are missing the point. If this were a referee issue that official from today would be investigated, suspended during the investigation, and banned should any ilicit motivations for his actions be uncovered, but as you will see there will not be a word of discipline from the NBA, and that signals ratification and complicity.

[slamtheking]

watched on tape delay.  today's hot takes:
- really solid games from Hayward, Smart and Jaylen.  decent games from Theis and Wanamaker. 
- Kemba looked good in his limited minutes but we need him back to regular minutes soon
- TATUM WAS HOT GARBAGE.  I don't know if he's had this bad a game ever.  just a pure negative when he was on the floor.

Bucks had a good game from pretty much all their guys at we were right in this.  They don't scare me if we can get everyone putting in the full effort, not falling behind by a huge amount within minutes and the refs don't blatantly favor the Bucks all game - particularly in the 4th quarter.   Giannis got away with so much ridiculous stuff that the refs should have been fined for incompetence.

It is not a ref issue. The referees gain absolutely NOTHING from favoring Giannis or any other star. This is an NB issue. The league wants its stars protected. The league wants its stars on the court. The referees are following the script. The NBA is a production. The referees have a script. You want to be competitive get some stars that are recognized by the league. This is the only way you balance the scale. You keep blaming the refs you are missing the point. If this were a referee issue that official from today would be investigated, suspended during the investigation, and banned should any ilicit motivations for his actions be uncovered, but as you will see there will not be a word of discipline from the NBA, and that signals ratification and complicity.

I don't believe there's a 'script' -- too conspiratorial.  I do think there's definite superstar calls made every game but tonight there was just plain bad calls where the player was irrelevant.   I don't think there's corruption on the part of the refs - just incompetence

[keevsnick]

watched on tape delay.  today's hot takes:
- really solid games from Hayward, Smart and Jaylen.  decent games from Theis and Wanamaker. 
- Kemba looked good in his limited minutes but we need him back to regular minutes soon
- TATUM WAS HOT GARBAGE.  I don't know if he's had this bad a game ever.  just a pure negative when he was on the floor.

Bucks had a good game from pretty much all their guys at we were right in this.  They don't scare me if we can get everyone putting in the full effort, not falling behind by a huge amount within minutes and the refs don't blatantly favor the Bucks all game - particularly in the 4th quarter.   Giannis got away with so much ridiculous stuff that the refs should have been fined for incompetence.

It is not a ref issue. The referees gain absolutely NOTHING from favoring Giannis or any other star. This is an NB issue. The league wants its stars protected. The league wants its stars on the court. The referees are following the script. The NBA is a production. The referees have a script. You want to be competitive get some stars that are recognized by the league. This is the only way you balance the scale. You keep blaming the refs you are missing the point. If this were a referee issue that official from today would be investigated, suspended during the investigation, and banned should any ilicit motivations for his actions be uncovered, but as you will see there will not be a word of discipline from the NBA, and that signals ratification and complicity.

I don't believe there's a 'script' -- too conspiratorial.  I do think there's definite superstar calls made every game but tonight there was just plain bad calls where the player was irrelevant.   I don't think there's corruption on the part of the refs - just incompetence

I agree. Both sides actually shot the same number of FT's, its just the refs missed a couple calls down the stretch. The blocking foul on smart was actually the right call, but no foul on the Giannis palm strike was the big one.

[Ogaju]

watched on tape delay.  today's hot takes:
- really solid games from Hayward, Smart and Jaylen.  decent games from Theis and Wanamaker. 
- Kemba looked good in his limited minutes but we need him back to regular minutes soon
- TATUM WAS HOT GARBAGE.  I don't know if he's had this bad a game ever.  just a pure negative when he was on the floor.

Bucks had a good game from pretty much all their guys at we were right in this.  They don't scare me if we can get everyone putting in the full effort, not falling behind by a huge amount within minutes and the refs don't blatantly favor the Bucks all game - particularly in the 4th quarter.   Giannis got away with so much ridiculous stuff that the refs should have been fined for incompetence.

It is not a ref issue. The referees gain absolutely NOTHING from favoring Giannis or any other star. This is an NB issue. The league wants its stars protected. The league wants its stars on the court. The referees are following the script. The NBA is a production. The referees have a script. You want to be competitive get some stars that are recognized by the league. This is the only way you balance the scale. You keep blaming the refs you are missing the point. If this were a referee issue that official from today would be investigated, suspended during the investigation, and banned should any ilicit motivations for his actions be uncovered, but as you will see there will not be a word of discipline from the NBA, and that signals ratification and complicity.

I don't believe there's a 'script' -- too conspiratorial.  I do think there's definite superstar calls made every game but tonight there was just plain bad calls where the player was irrelevant.   I don't think there's corruption on the part of the refs - just incompetence

It is not a conspiracy it is not hidden it is in plain sight. The announcers who are mostly ex players and coaches talk about it all the time. They mention 'superstar call', they mention 'rookie call', they tell us a rookie will never get that call against a Jordan, Bird, or any other superstar. This is part of the game. The reason Giannis was not assessed his 6th foul is because he is Giannis that was not referee incompetence -- He actually made the foul call!!!! How often do stars foul out of games with the amount of usage they get? You think it is just a coincidence? The league is star driven ..they sell tickets they must be on the court. The games must be called to keep them on the court. It really does not need a conspiracy. It is a business model.

[jpotter33]

https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1289400819461177344

HAHAHA Jaylen has really won me over this year with his play and increased confidence. Was maybe a bit too hard on him in the past. But I love it.

[Tr1boy]

- Probably Tatum worst game of his career.  He looks out of shape
- Danny screwed up the 2019 NBA draft.  Brandon Clarke looks great for a 20 something pick . Elite hops and underrated skills. 21 points tonight.  Bazely also looking good. Hitting open 3s with ease.  Langford has a broken jump shot and below avg passing skills.  Grant is a hustle blue collar player in this league.  Nothing more. Carsen Edwards... no comment

- Gordon Hayward is looking like Kevin Love with each passing game.  Just like a ghost on the court.  Looks indifferent. Smart should start
- A strong game by Theis
- Kanter was a bad signing and is a poor fit in the Celts system

[gouki88]

- Probably Tatum worst game of his career.  He looks out of shape
- Danny screwed up the 2019 NBA draft.  Brandon Clarke looks great for a 20 something pick . Elite hops and underrated skills. 21 points tonight.  Bazely also looking good. Hitting open 3s with ease.  Langford has a broken jump shot and below avg passing skills.  Grant is a hustle blue collar player in this league.  Nothing more. Carsen Edwards... no comment

- Gordon Hayward is looking like Kevin Love with each passing game.  Just like a ghost on the court.  Looks indifferent. Smart should start
- A strong game by Theis
- Kanter was a bad signing and is a poor fit in the Celts system

Clarke wouldn't get minutes on this team, neither would Bazley. The former would be behind Theis & Kanter, and the latter would be behind our plethora of wings.

Hayward was also our second best player. Not sure what you watched from these notes

[CelticsElite]

- Probably Tatum worst game of his career.  He looks out of shape
- Danny screwed up the 2019 NBA draft.  Brandon Clarke looks great for a 20 something pick . Elite hops and underrated skills. 21 points tonight.  Bazely also looking good. Hitting open 3s with ease.  Langford has a broken jump shot and below avg passing skills.  Grant is a hustle blue collar player in this league.  Nothing more. Carsen Edwards... no comment

- Gordon Hayward is looking like Kevin Love with each passing game.  Just like a ghost on the court.  Looks indifferent. Smart should start
- A strong game by Theis
- Kanter was a bad signing and is a poor fit in the Celts system

if all that is true, and we almost beat the bucks, well I like our chances a lot

[footey]

- Probably Tatum worst game of his career.  He looks out of shape
- Danny screwed up the 2019 NBA draft.  Brandon Clarke looks great for a 20 something pick . Elite hops and underrated skills. 21 points tonight.  Bazely also looking good. Hitting open 3s with ease.  Langford has a broken jump shot and below avg passing skills.  Grant is a hustle blue collar player in this league.  Nothing more. Carsen Edwards... no comment

- Gordon Hayward is looking like Kevin Love with each passing game.  Just like a ghost on the court.  Looks indifferent. Smart should start
- A strong game by Theis
- Kanter was a bad signing and is a poor fit in the Celts system

You can't judge rookies this early, TB.  Let's revisit Langford and G Williams in a couple of years vs Clarke and Bazely.

Hayward had 17/9/6 box score.  If that is ghost like, I'm willing to be spooked by him any day.

Carson Edwards was a 2nd round pick for a reason. 

[Ogaju]

https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1289400819461177344

HAHAHA Jaylen has really won me over this year with his play and increased confidence. Was maybe a bit too hard on him in the past. But I love it.

How much is that going to set him back?

[Somebody]

- Probably Tatum worst game of his career.  He looks out of shape
- Danny screwed up the 2019 NBA draft.  Brandon Clarke looks great for a 20 something pick . Elite hops and underrated skills. 21 points tonight.  Bazely also looking good. Hitting open 3s with ease.  Langford has a broken jump shot and below avg passing skills.  Grant is a hustle blue collar player in this league.  Nothing more. Carsen Edwards... no comment

- Gordon Hayward is looking like Kevin Love with each passing game.  Just like a ghost on the court.  Looks indifferent. Smart should start
- A strong game by Theis
- Kanter was a bad signing and is a poor fit in the Celts system

You can't judge rookies this early, TB.  Let's revisit Langford and G Williams in a couple of years vs Clarke and Bazely.

Hayward had 17/9/6 box score.  If that is ghost like, I'm willing to be spooked by him any day.

Carson Edwards was a 2nd round pick for a reason.

To be fair we traded down from Matisse Thybulle (who looks like a potential DPOY candidate in the sense that he'll be one of the best wing defenders in the league) for Grant Williams and Carsen Edwards - we need both of them to come good to make that deal worth it.

[ScoobyDoo]

I’ve seen a few arguments that we can’t guard Giannis or that we can’t guard if the refs call it like they do.

I would argue that we can’t stop Giannis if we refuse to guard him. He needs to be made uncomfortable. The only player that does that is Smart and he’s effective. Everyone else is a spectator. If Jaylen Brown played defense with Smarts effort he could probably basically sit Giannis down. There were plays where Jaylen literally moves out of his way on the way to a funk. Jaylen’s defensive effort is a pathetic embarrassment to the game - especially given his physical gifts/advantages. If only he had Kevin Garnett’s hesd on his shoulders - but he doesn’t.

[ScoobyDoo]

There was one play in the third where Jaylen starts around half court and Giannis starts under the basket - it ended with Giannis dunking over Jaylen. Jaylen literally guarded no one. You have to defensively attack Giannis, and jam him up before he gets downhill on you. It’s wht Leonard does. It’s what Smart does. It’s what we need Jaylen and Ojeleye to do as well. Jam him, ball denial 90 feet. Never let him get down hill - stop the dribble early. It’s the same thing,, frankly, that Tony Allen used to do the LeBron. It’s a simple formula. But if Jaylen just stands around and watches without effort we’ll end up losing a potential series with the Bucks. If he dials in we can probably beat them.