Where are the critics that thought this seasons Celtics team had no chance?

[wayupnorth]

With 20 games remaining, the Celtics are closer to the 8th seed than they are to the top of the East.

Which is probably what virtually everyone was expecting earlier this season.

I know of one chronically pessimistic poster who expected (and stated it on several occasions) the Celtics to miss the playoffs.

Funny how when the team is doing well, that poster doesn't come around much, but if we would have a 4 game losing streak, I am sure he would show up immediately to tell all of us how wrong he is.

In addition, that post is very disingenuous.

Virtually everyone did not expect us to be a top 4 seed, and that is exactly where it looks as if we are headed.

[mctyson]

With 20 games remaining, the Celtics are closer to the 8th seed than they are to the top of the East.

They are on pace for 50 wins.  Come on.

[wayupnorth]

With 20 games remaining, the Celtics are closer to the 8th seed than they are to the top of the East.

Which is probably what virtually everyone was expecting earlier this season.

Right.


I thought the Celts would be in the mix for a bottom 4 seed in the East along with another 8-10 teams.  The East is lacking in really good teams but deep in teams that are theoretically competitive for the playoffs this year.

A few of the teams I thought would definitely be ahead of the Celts, such as the Hawks, Bulls, Heat, and Wizards, have all been worse than expected.  I was wrong about those teams clearly having an advantage on the Celts. 

I thought the Celts were at best a 45 win team, and they're most likely gonna beat that easily, too.  I was wrong to think they couldn't win games over the course of this regular season at a pace similar to what they did toward the end of last season.

In any case, the Celts have been easily the best of the next group below the Cavs and Raps, which is still a deep group. 

I think the Celtics are better than a lot of people here thought they'd be -- and I'm absolutely one of those people.  That said, I can't think of really anybody who thought they'd have "no chance" of being good this year, just maybe not this good.

I can think of one poster in particular who thought pretty much just that.

[fairweatherfan]

With 20 games remaining, the Celtics are closer to the 8th seed than they are to the top of the East.

Which is probably what virtually everyone was expecting earlier this season.

Sure but that's such a broad range of outcomes that it isn't really meaningful.  We'd be closer to the 8 seed than the top if we had Milwaukee's record too. 

We're at the top of the playoff pack (with CLE and TOR obviously leading), and we've stayed there a while now.  This is better than most would've expected.

[Tr1boy]

With 20 games remaining, the Celtics are closer to the 8th seed than they are to the top of the East.

Which is probably what virtually everyone was expecting earlier this season.

I know of one chronically pessimistic poster who expected (and stated it on several occasions) the Celtics to miss the playoffs.

Funny how when the team is doing well, that poster doesn't come around much, but if we would have a 4 game losing streak, I am sure he would show up immediately to tell all of us how wrong he is.

In addition, that post is very disingenuous.

Virtually everyone did not expect us to be a top 4 seed, and that is exactly where it looks as if we are headed.

you are wrong

I posted my reasons before the season started why this team was built to come top 4 (especially riding the strong finish from last season).    A 4 game losing streak starting tomorrow wouldn't make me flinch one bit.   And it may likely happen . But overall,  this team won't stay in a funk too long. Just the way it is built lead by our genius coach CBS

you don't take a no name college team to the finals twice. 

Also the argument in conjuction to this prediction debate was,  you need a few superstars to get be a tough team. That is not true.  Team unity/ball counts just as much. 

[SHAQATTACK]

In their high school classes looking at I phones.

[Lucky17]

With 20 games remaining, the Celtics are closer to the 8th seed than they are to the top of the East.

Which is probably what virtually everyone was expecting earlier this season.

Sure but that's such a broad range of outcomes that it isn't really meaningful.  We'd be closer to the 8 seed than the top if we had Milwaukee's record too. 

We're at the top of the playoff pack (with CLE and TOR obviously leading), and we've stayed there a while now.  This is better than most would've expected.

It's definitely better than I expected. I think I was expecting something around 44 wins.

I've been a Celtics fan long enough to know you never ever start celebrating a win before the final horn sounds.

Until my calendar rolls over to April 13, I won't be celebrating 3rd seeds or 50 wins. I'll leave it to the professionals to tempt fate.

[Eja117]

I can't speak for the rest of them but I like to post on Celtics Blog and Celtics Green

[Future Celtics Owner]

I was more focused on building the team for a championship and was wishing that we would have a bad record. It's hard when guys in the draft are within reach: Myles Turner was no11 and then some kid named Ingram was ranked 6-12th and Simmons was no2......
2017 draft is even better as far as depth.

CBS is by far the best coach in the league.

[Tr1boy]

I was more focused on building the team for a championship and was wishing that we would have a bad record. It's hard when guys in the draft are within reach: Myles Turner was no11 and then some kid named Ingram was ranked 6-12th and Simmons was no2......
2017 draft is even better as far as depth.

CBS is by far the best coach in the league.

I disagree.  He is a genius but I wouldn't call him the best yet.  Definitely in the top 6 though

[Rhyso]

Right here, and agreed this team has been fantastic.

However, we are only 5 losses in front of the 8th seed, and 3 losses from the 6th seed, so it's hardly a lock we finish top 4. My premise for predicting us to finish between 7-10 were based on the Hawks who won 60 games last year would be better that they have been, and the Heat to be fighting for the 4th spot (which they are). Outside of that I thought it was anyones guess with the Bucks, Pacers, Bulls, Wizards and Celtics.

Seems like I was wrong, and gladly so 

Even though you may have predicted wrong, you win

5.5**** losses from the 8th seed. 6.5 from the 1st. Lets not forget that little tidbit.

I was referring to the loss column, not games behind. I believe my statement is correct 
Celtics 25 Losses
Hornets 28 Losses
Pistons 30 Losses

To nitpick, I reference losses as a more accurate measure than games behind with teams over a .500 winning percentage as they are more likely to win that 'half' game.

For example, we are only 6.5 games behind the Cavs, however we are 8 losses behind them and they have played 3 games less than us. Given their 71.5% win record, the odds of the Cavs winning the unaccounted 3 games is greater that half that amount (1.5), it's more like 2.15. So instead of 6.5 games behind, I would say it's closer to 7

[jambr380]

With 20 games remaining, the Celtics are closer to the 8th seed than they are to the top of the East.

Which is probably what virtually everyone was expecting earlier this season.

Right.


I thought the Celts would be in the mix for a bottom 4 seed in the East along with another 8-10 teams.  The East is lacking in really good teams but deep in teams that are theoretically competitive for the playoffs this year.

A few of the teams I thought would definitely be ahead of the Celts, such as the Hawks, Bulls, Heat, and Wizards, have all been worse than expected.  I was wrong about those teams clearly having an advantage on the Celts. 

I thought the Celts were at best a 45 win team, and they're most likely gonna beat that easily, too.  I was wrong to think they couldn't win games over the course of this regular season at a pace similar to what they did toward the end of last season.

In any case, the Celts have been easily the best of the next group below the Cavs and Raps, which is still a deep group. 

I think the Celtics are better than a lot of people here thought they'd be -- and I'm absolutely one of those people.  That said, I can't think of really anybody who thought they'd have "no chance" of being good this year, just maybe not this good.

You definitely predicted exactly 35 wins in the 'prediction' thread last July. I know this is 'calling you out', but I know you can handle it and you are one of my favorite posters so I am sure you will have a great response.