The Celts Are the 2014-2015 Bucks

[PhoSita]

So far this year:

Boston - 2nd in Defensive Efficiency (97.9), 25th in Offensive Efficiency (100.8 )

Last year:

Milwaukee - 2nd in Defensive Efficiency (99.3), 25th in Offensive Efficiency (100.5)

I just found that kind of amusing.  Had a hunch they might be similar, turns out they're very similar, at least in terms of team efficiency stats.

[fairweatherfan]

So we should trade IT for Michael Carter-Williams and really screw things up?

[PhoSita]

So we should trade IT for Michael Carter-Williams and really screw things up?

For those who want to tank, yeah, I'd say that's probably the surest way to do it.  Replace IT with a horrible scorer.

To really make the transformation complete, we could trade IT for a non-shooter like, say, Ricky Rubio, and then in the off-season get rid of Amir and Jerebko and trade for Brook Lopez.

[celticsclay]

I'm not gonna lie, MCW has looked a lot better the past 4-6 weeks. I think after briefly being benched behind Mayo he is back starting and putting up a lot better numbers (and bucks are playing better?).

[PhoSita]

I'm not gonna lie, MCW has looked a lot better the past 4-6 weeks. I think after briefly being benched behind Mayo he is back starting and putting up a lot better numbers (and bucks are playing better?).

If and when Jabari and Giannis turn into at least average shooters from deep, I think if MCW just turns into a credible spot-up threat from outside, that should be enough to make the Bucks' ideal lineup (MCW-Middleton-Giannis-Jabari-Monroe) work.

I'm really interested to see how Jabari, in particular, develops.  This is basically his rookie season, so expectations should be tempered for him.

So far, however, he looks like a more skilled version of Thad Young than the next Pierce / Melo (which is how he was billed coming out of college).  He could still be a very good player even if that's all he is, though.

[KG Living Legend]

Except Thad Young is actually athletic at 27 years old.

 By the time Parker is 27 I'd expect him to weigh about 315 pounds at this rate. He reminds me of Vinny Baker.

[PhoSita]

Except Thad Young is actually athletic at 27 years old.

 By the time Parker is 27 I'd expect him to weigh about 315 pounds at this rate. He reminds me of Vinny Baker.

Oh come on, he's coming off an ACL tear.  I think Jabari is pretty athletic for a forward.  Nobody ever expected him to be super explosive (hence the comps to Pierce and Melo).

[BitterJim]

So far this year:

Boston - 2nd in Defensive Efficiency (97.9), 25th in Offensive Efficiency (100.8 )

Last year:

Milwaukee - 2nd in Defensive Efficiency (99.3), 25th in Offensive Efficiency (100.5)

I just found that kind of amusing.  Had a hunch they might be similar, turns out they're very similar, at least in terms of team efficiency stats.

The difference is that our differential is 2.9 while theirs was 1.2, which is a pretty big difference

[Future Celtics Owner]

I'd take Jabari. He is def better 3 point shooter than what he has shown this season.

[mctyson]

My thesis is that we are more like the 2014-2015 Wizards.  Lots of promising stretches, lots a inconsistency and bad stretches,  weird roster, somehow make a 4-5 seed in East at 47-48 wins.

I'm still sticking to that.

[PhoSita]

So far this year:

Boston - 2nd in Defensive Efficiency (97.9), 25th in Offensive Efficiency (100.8 )

Last year:

Milwaukee - 2nd in Defensive Efficiency (99.3), 25th in Offensive Efficiency (100.5)

I just found that kind of amusing.  Had a hunch they might be similar, turns out they're very similar, at least in terms of team efficiency stats.

The difference is that our differential is 2.9 while theirs was 1.2, which is a pretty big difference

What to make of the Celts' differential, though?  They've won a lot of games by double digits, but also been blown out quite a few times, as well.

To me what it says that there's something about this Celtics team -- maybe their hustle, their ability to force turnovers, their execution of a ball-movement system, whatever -- that just overwhelms opponents sometimes.  Other nights, that stuff doesn't click and when it doesn't, the Celts just don't have anything close to the firepower to keep up. 

In other words, my guess is that part of the problem is that this Celts team can only succeed one kind of way.  It's not like they can fall back on isolation ball, or pounding the ball inside with post-ups and slashing to the basket, if their outside shots aren't falling.

Bottom line, the differential is better than that Bucks team, but I don't think the Celts will fare any better than the Bucks (or last year's Celts) did in the playoffs.

[Timdawgg]

So far this year:

Boston - 2nd in Defensive Efficiency (97.9), 25th in Offensive Efficiency (100.8 )

Last year:

Milwaukee - 2nd in Defensive Efficiency (99.3), 25th in Offensive Efficiency (100.5)

I just found that kind of amusing.  Had a hunch they might be similar, turns out they're very similar, at least in terms of team efficiency stats.

The difference is that our differential is 2.9 while theirs was 1.2, which is a pretty big difference

What to make of the Celts' differential, though?  They've won a lot of games by double digits, but also been blown out quite a few times, as well.

To me what it says that there's something about this Celtics team -- maybe their hustle, their ability to force turnovers, their execution of a ball-movement system, whatever -- that just overwhelms opponents sometimes.  Other nights, that stuff doesn't click and when it doesn't, the Celts just don't have anything close to the firepower to keep up. 

In other words, my guess is that part of the problem is that this Celts team can only succeed one kind of way.  It's not like they can fall back on isolation ball, or pounding the ball inside with post-ups and slashing to the basket, if their outside shots aren't falling.

Bottom line, the differential is better than that Bucks team, but I don't think the Celts will fare any better than the Bucks (or last year's Celts) did in the playoffs.

I think they can pound it down low but for some reason they don't. Just a few nights ago they were destroying the pistons down low for the first 3 quarters and then just decided to shoot jumpers the rest of the way...Not sure if thats on coaching or just a shift to small ball in the 4th.