Celtics (43-12) at Bulls (26-29) Game #56 2/22/24

[liam]

Do the Knicks have a wing defender with Anunoby out?

[hwangjini_1]

yep. well worth that swap of first round picks. 

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

White had a helluva game. 28/5/3 on 9-14 shooting. [dang]..

MVD!

MVD!

MOST VALUABLE DERRICK!

Heck yeah , dude comes up big at the right time ….amazing feel for the game.

him and KP are gonna help JT and JB win a title.  along with support from Jrue but those 2 make a difference. a HUGE DIFFERENCE.

[radiohead]

I hope Tillman cracks the rotation. He seems good enough to get regular minutes.

[tenn_smoothie]

I hope Tillman cracks the rotation. He seems good enough to get regular minutes.

yep, agreed. Please do not let him waste away on the bench.
This team needs some muscle inside. Would like to see Queta get regular minutes as well.
Plus, we need to limit our starters minutes a little down the stretch, fresh legs for the playoffs.

[Phantom255x]

I like Jrue, but there's no question a Derrick White extension has to be the priority. But I'm hoping Jrue wants to take a discount to stay, maybe tack on a similar deal as to what Horford is getting after his player option in 2025 and make it a lucrative 3-year deal that helps all sides. His player option next season is 39M, maybe make it so overall it becomes around 3/65M? I mean Holiday has earned 250M+ in his career, hopefully he'd be willing to do that if he wants to stay too.

[SHAQATTACK]

Do the Knicks have a wing defender with Anunoby out?

Doesn’t matter

They’ll get crushed anyway

[footey]

I like Jrue, but there's no question a Derrick White extension has to be the priority. But I'm hoping Jrue wants to take a discount to stay, maybe tack on a similar deal as to what Horford is getting after his player option in 2025 and make it a lucrative 3-year deal that helps all sides. His player option next season is 39M, maybe make it so overall it becomes around 3/65M? I mean Holiday has earned 250M+ in his career, hopefully he'd be willing to do that if he wants to stay too.

White has an extra year on his contract, so the priority will be Jrue.  I think the team will try to offer more years (say, 3-4) for less money, say $20mm per year.  The recent Conley contract (2 years @ about $20mm per) is a good marker.  Conley is a couple of years older, so you would have to offer Jrue more years.

[dannyboy35]

I hope Tillman cracks the rotation. He seems good enough to get regular minutes.

yep, agreed. Please do not let him waste away on the bench.
This team needs some muscle inside. Would like to see Queta get regular minutes as well.
Plus, we need to limit our starters minutes a little down the stretch, fresh legs for the playoffs.

  I’ve been called stupid for thinking Tillman will still be behind Kornet. I’m willing to be wrong.  I wouldn’t say it means I’m “stupid” but that’s general Boston ( not Celtics) sports fans for ya.    It seems like he can be trusted to be where he needs to be on the court and has to be recognized with the ball if he gets it down low but I can’t see him leapfrogging Kornet , only because our star players make it so easy for Luke drawing so much attention . He’s so tall and broad that if he gets it that close it’s almost a sure 2 points. Plus he can make free throws which we can’t risk not having in the playoffs.

[jambr380]

I hope Tillman cracks the rotation. He seems good enough to get regular minutes.

yep, agreed. Please do not let him waste away on the bench.
This team needs some muscle inside. Would like to see Queta get regular minutes as well.
Plus, we need to limit our starters minutes a little down the stretch, fresh legs for the playoffs.

  I’ve been called stupid for thinking Tillman will still be behind Kornet. I’m willing to be wrong.  I wouldn’t say it means I’m “stupid” but that’s general Boston ( not Celtics) sports fans for ya.    It seems like he can be trusted to be where he needs to be on the court and has to be recognized with the ball if he gets it down low but I can’t see him leapfrogging Kornet , only because our star players make it so easy for Luke drawing so much attention . He’s so tall and broad that if he gets it that close it’s almost a sure 2 points. Plus he can make free throws which we can’t risk not having in the playoffs.

Thing is, there is really just no reason to play Luke in the playoffs. He knows where to be and how the offense works, but when it comes time to needing to defend physical bigs, Luke is just not even close to your guy. KP and Horford will just play more minutes in the playoffs, and Horford will likely draw the 'physical' assignment; but if we are needing more minutes out there than Horford can give us against a particular physical player, then Tillman makes way more sense than Luke.

Luke is a fine regular season back-up player who can eat up some minutes of the regular bigs against lesser teams, but he just doesn't bring anything particularly redeeming to a playoff rotation unless there is an injury.

[Celtics2021]

I hope Tillman cracks the rotation. He seems good enough to get regular minutes.

yep, agreed. Please do not let him waste away on the bench.
This team needs some muscle inside. Would like to see Queta get regular minutes as well.
Plus, we need to limit our starters minutes a little down the stretch, fresh legs for the playoffs.

  I’ve been called stupid for thinking Tillman will still be behind Kornet. I’m willing to be wrong.  I wouldn’t say it means I’m “stupid” but that’s general Boston ( not Celtics) sports fans for ya.    It seems like he can be trusted to be where he needs to be on the court and has to be recognized with the ball if he gets it down low but I can’t see him leapfrogging Kornet , only because our star players make it so easy for Luke drawing so much attention . He’s so tall and broad that if he gets it that close it’s almost a sure 2 points. Plus he can make free throws which we can’t risk not having in the playoffs.

Thing is, there is really just no reason to play Luke in the playoffs. He knows where to be and how the offense works, but when it comes time to needing to defend physical bigs, Luke is just not even close to your guy. KP and Horford will just play more minutes in the playoffs, and Horford will likely draw the 'physical' assignment; but if we are needing more minutes out there than Horford can give us against a particular physical player, then Tillman makes way more sense than Luke.

Luke is a fine regular season back-up player who can eat up some minutes of the regular bigs against lesser teams, but he just doesn't bring anything particularly redeeming to a playoff rotation unless there is an injury.

There’s not going to be much more reason to play Tillman, honestly.  Luke is superior on offense, Tillman defense, but if we’re in trouble in a series I don’t want either of them getting minutes.  They’re both there to absorb some minutes in an earlier round, but once it gets to the later rounds the rotation should be tightened.

That said, I’m on record as having said Tillman will take Luke’s rotation spot by mid-March, after he’s had a few chances to get minutes on b2bs where Horford or KP sit.

[Neurotic Guy]

I hope Tillman cracks the rotation. He seems good enough to get regular minutes.

yep, agreed. Please do not let him waste away on the bench.
This team needs some muscle inside. Would like to see Queta get regular minutes as well.
Plus, we need to limit our starters minutes a little down the stretch, fresh legs for the playoffs.

  I’ve been called stupid for thinking Tillman will still be behind Kornet. I’m willing to be wrong.  I wouldn’t say it means I’m “stupid” but that’s general Boston ( not Celtics) sports fans for ya.    It seems like he can be trusted to be where he needs to be on the court and has to be recognized with the ball if he gets it down low but I can’t see him leapfrogging Kornet , only because our star players make it so easy for Luke drawing so much attention . He’s so tall and broad that if he gets it that close it’s almost a sure 2 points. Plus he can make free throws which we can’t risk not having in the playoffs.

Thing is, there is really just no reason to play Luke in the playoffs. He knows where to be and how the offense works, but when it comes time to needing to defend physical bigs, Luke is just not even close to your guy. KP and Horford will just play more minutes in the playoffs, and Horford will likely draw the 'physical' assignment; but if we are needing more minutes out there than Horford can give us against a particular physical player, then Tillman makes way more sense than Luke.

Luke is a fine regular season back-up player who can eat up some minutes of the regular bigs against lesser teams, but he just doesn't bring anything particularly redeeming to a playoff rotation unless there is an injury.

There’s not going to be much more reason to play Tillman, honestly.  Luke is superior on offense, Tillman defense, but if we’re in trouble in a series I don’t want either of them getting minutes.  They’re both there to absorb some minutes in an earlier round, but once it gets to the later rounds the rotation should be tightened.

That said, I’m on record as having said Tillman will take Luke’s rotation spot by mid-March, after he’s had a few chances to get minutes on b2bs where Horford or KP sit.

I like Luke. Think he’s great for the team’s camaraderie and generally plays 10-15 non-costly minutes which as a 3rd string center is just fine.  He contributes offensively, and plays generally smart basketball. He’s not quick enough to do what you hope he could do defensively but his hands are adequate, he boards an extra possession occasionally, and he’s a reliable ooper. 

I hope you are right that Tillman takes Luke’s minutes - that’s a plus for the team.  And I agree that round one and maybe round 2 might produce some minutes for Luke. After that, just garbage time or if, heaven forbid, injuries require it.

[sgrogan]

I hope Tillman cracks the rotation. He seems good enough to get regular minutes.

yep, agreed. Please do not let him waste away on the bench.
This team needs some muscle inside. Would like to see Queta get regular minutes as well.
Plus, we need to limit our starters minutes a little down the stretch, fresh legs for the playoffs.

  I’ve been called stupid for thinking Tillman will still be behind Kornet. I’m willing to be wrong.  I wouldn’t say it means I’m “stupid” but that’s general Boston ( not Celtics) sports fans for ya.    It seems like he can be trusted to be where he needs to be on the court and has to be recognized with the ball if he gets it down low but I can’t see him leapfrogging Kornet , only because our star players make it so easy for Luke drawing so much attention . He’s so tall and broad that if he gets it that close it’s almost a sure 2 points. Plus he can make free throws which we can’t risk not having in the playoffs.

Thing is, there is really just no reason to play Luke in the playoffs. He knows where to be and how the offense works, but when it comes time to needing to defend physical bigs, Luke is just not even close to your guy. KP and Horford will just play more minutes in the playoffs, and Horford will likely draw the 'physical' assignment; but if we are needing more minutes out there than Horford can give us against a particular physical player, then Tillman makes way more sense than Luke.

Luke is a fine regular season back-up player who can eat up some minutes of the regular bigs against lesser teams, but he just doesn't bring anything particularly redeeming to a playoff rotation unless there is an injury.

There’s not going to be much more reason to play Tillman, honestly.  Luke is superior on offense, Tillman defense, but if we’re in trouble in a series I don’t want either of them getting minutes.  They’re both there to absorb some minutes in an earlier round, but once it gets to the later rounds the rotation should be tightened.

That said, I’m on record as having said Tillman will take Luke’s rotation spot by mid-March, after he’s had a few chances to get minutes on b2bs where Horford or KP sit.

If Tillman outplays Kornet that's good.
We need to build depth. Hopefully depth we don't use.