Celtics (49-30) at Bulls (45-34) Game #80 4/6/22

[Birdman]

What a difference in 2 Celtics team!! Before All Star break, they was bottom 15 team..after All Star break, look like too 3 team..unreal

[jambr380]

These are the Cs we all know and love. Great, dominating win.

As for the 2 seed, I am not going to worry about it. Even if BKN does end up in the 7/8 spot, they will have to beat ATL, CHA (with Hayward back), or CLE (with Mobley and Allen back) to secure 7 and that is hardly a guarantee. The Cs, meanwhile, have a chance to have a homecourt all the way up to the Finals. This would require one of MIL/PHI knocking off MIA, but I'd say that's quite possible. Let the chips fall where they may and let other teams worry about us.

[Roy H.]

I'm not seeing any reason to tank a game at this point. How embarrassing. We're the hottest team in the league over the past 30 games, and wins can still affect home court in a future playoff series.

If we have to dodge a team like Brooklyn at this point, we have bigger problems. I hate the idea of Durant and Irving suddenly being ready at playoff time as much as anyone, but they are still maybe the 4th best team in the east at best? These guys are starting Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, and there's no Harden or Simmons. Tatum and Durant are just about a wash. If we can't take advantage of that somehow, ugh... then sadly we're not a Finals worthy team.

Let's ride our momentum, secure as much home court as possible, and go confident into the playoffs like a contender, not sneak in worrying about 1st round matchups.

It's not necessarily about dodging Brooklyn, it's about not having to play both of Brooklyn and Milwaukee.  I want those two matching up in a seven game series.

Ideally, we slot in at #3 or #4.  Potential paths if Brooklyn grabs the #7 seed:

With #3, our path is Chicago, winner of Milwaukee / Brooklyn, winner of Miami / Philly

With #4 our path is Toronto, Miami, one of Brooklyn / Philly / Milwaukee

With #2, it's Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Miami / Philly

To me, #2 is clearly the worst, right?  That's assuming that Brooklyn finishes 8th and wins the play-in game for #7.

[Goldstar88]

I'm not seeing any reason to tank a game at this point. How embarrassing. We're the hottest team in the league over the past 30 games, and wins can still affect home court in a future playoff series.

If we have to dodge a team like Brooklyn at this point, we have bigger problems. I hate the idea of Durant and Irving suddenly being ready at playoff time as much as anyone, but they are still maybe the 4th best team in the east at best? These guys are starting Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, and there's no Harden or Simmons. Tatum and Durant are just about a wash. If we can't take advantage of that somehow, ugh... then sadly we're not a Finals worthy team.

Let's ride our momentum, secure as much home court as possible, and go confident into the playoffs like a contender, not sneak in worrying about 1st round matchups.

It's not necessarily about dodging Brooklyn, it's about not having to play both of Brooklyn and Milwaukee.  I want those two matching up in a seven game series.

Ideally, we slot in at #3 or #4.  Potential paths if Brooklyn grabs the #7 seed:

With #3, our path is Chicago, winner of Milwaukee / Brooklyn, winner of Miami / Philly

With #4 our path is Toronto, Miami, one of Brooklyn / Philly / Milwaukee

With #2, it's Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Miami / Philly

To me, #2 is clearly the worst, right?  That's assuming that Brooklyn finishes 8th and wins the play-in game for #7.

It certainly is. Give me the 3 or 4 seed all day.

[mobilija]

I'm not seeing any reason to tank a game at this point. How embarrassing. We're the hottest team in the league over the past 30 games, and wins can still affect home court in a future playoff series.

If we have to dodge a team like Brooklyn at this point, we have bigger problems. I hate the idea of Durant and Irving suddenly being ready at playoff time as much as anyone, but they are still maybe the 4th best team in the east at best? These guys are starting Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, and there's no Harden or Simmons. Tatum and Durant are just about a wash. If we can't take advantage of that somehow, ugh... then sadly we're not a Finals worthy team.

Let's ride our momentum, secure as much home court as possible, and go confident into the playoffs like a contender, not sneak in worrying about 1st round matchups.

It's not necessarily about dodging Brooklyn, it's about not having to play both of Brooklyn and Milwaukee.  I want those two matching up in a seven game series.

Ideally, we slot in at #3 or #4.  Potential paths if Brooklyn grabs the #7 seed:

With #3, our path is Chicago, winner of Milwaukee / Brooklyn, winner of Miami / Philly

With #4 our path is Toronto, Miami, one of Brooklyn / Philly / Milwaukee

With #2, it's Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Miami / Philly

To me, #2 is clearly the worst, right?  That's assuming that Brooklyn finishes 8th and wins the play-in game for #7.

The problem is...this same scenario holds true for the Bucks. And being a game played behind us, they are in the drivers seat. They can out tank us tonite and stay behind us. Heck, they can even win and throw their last two games and stay behind us, right?

Game tonite will clear things up, win or lose I'll consider it a win. Win tonite and wrap up home court through two rounds or lose tonite with a potential chance for an easier bracket.

I guess I'd play to win tonite without running anyone into the ground. Play the starters that don't need rest and give a touch of run to a few bench guys (I know, I know... Ime's tight 8 ) that might be needed in the playoffs.

A win tonite, an eye on what Philly does and we can clear the bench for the final game and still have control of the 2 seed,

[smokeablount]

I'm not seeing any reason to tank a game at this point. How embarrassing. We're the hottest team in the league over the past 30 games, and wins can still affect home court in a future playoff series.

If we have to dodge a team like Brooklyn at this point, we have bigger problems. I hate the idea of Durant and Irving suddenly being ready at playoff time as much as anyone, but they are still maybe the 4th best team in the east at best? These guys are starting Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, and there's no Harden or Simmons. Tatum and Durant are just about a wash. If we can't take advantage of that somehow, ugh... then sadly we're not a Finals worthy team.

Let's ride our momentum, secure as much home court as possible, and go confident into the playoffs like a contender, not sneak in worrying about 1st round matchups.

It's not necessarily about dodging Brooklyn, it's about not having to play both of Brooklyn and Milwaukee.  I want those two matching up in a seven game series.

Ideally, we slot in at #3 or #4.  Potential paths if Brooklyn grabs the #7 seed:

With #3, our path is Chicago, winner of Milwaukee / Brooklyn, winner of Miami / Philly

With #4 our path is Toronto, Miami, one of Brooklyn / Philly / Milwaukee

With #2, it's Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Miami / Philly

To me, #2 is clearly the worst, right?  That's assuming that Brooklyn finishes 8th and wins the play-in game for #7.

But if we think we can beat BK, then don’t we want home court in the next round vs Bucks or Sixers which entails the #2 seed?

[keevsnick]

I'm not seeing any reason to tank a game at this point. How embarrassing. We're the hottest team in the league over the past 30 games, and wins can still affect home court in a future playoff series.

If we have to dodge a team like Brooklyn at this point, we have bigger problems. I hate the idea of Durant and Irving suddenly being ready at playoff time as much as anyone, but they are still maybe the 4th best team in the east at best? These guys are starting Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, and there's no Harden or Simmons. Tatum and Durant are just about a wash. If we can't take advantage of that somehow, ugh... then sadly we're not a Finals worthy team.

Let's ride our momentum, secure as much home court as possible, and go confident into the playoffs like a contender, not sneak in worrying about 1st round matchups.

It's not necessarily about dodging Brooklyn, it's about not having to play both of Brooklyn and Milwaukee.  I want those two matching up in a seven game series.

Ideally, we slot in at #3 or #4.  Potential paths if Brooklyn grabs the #7 seed:

With #3, our path is Chicago, winner of Milwaukee / Brooklyn, winner of Miami / Philly

With #4 our path is Toronto, Miami, one of Brooklyn / Philly / Milwaukee

With #2, it's Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Miami / Philly

To me, #2 is clearly the worst, right?  That's assuming that Brooklyn finishes 8th and wins the play-in game for #7.

But the bolded isn't actually 100% the case is it? If the C's beat MIL tonight they push MIL to the fourth seed. If PHI wins out, BOS wins out and MIL wins out its BOS vs PHI in the 2/3 matchup and MIL on the other side of the bracket. And PHI probably wants to win out because A) Joel REALLY wants MVP and B) The 3 seed is a first round matchup against the sliding Bulls.

But that's the problem, even with just 2-3 games left its gonna be very hard to game your way to your favored outocme.

[footey]

I'm not seeing any reason to tank a game at this point. How embarrassing. We're the hottest team in the league over the past 30 games, and wins can still affect home court in a future playoff series.

If we have to dodge a team like Brooklyn at this point, we have bigger problems. I hate the idea of Durant and Irving suddenly being ready at playoff time as much as anyone, but they are still maybe the 4th best team in the east at best? These guys are starting Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, and there's no Harden or Simmons. Tatum and Durant are just about a wash. If we can't take advantage of that somehow, ugh... then sadly we're not a Finals worthy team.

Let's ride our momentum, secure as much home court as possible, and go confident into the playoffs like a contender, not sneak in worrying about 1st round matchups.

It's not necessarily about dodging Brooklyn, it's about not having to play both of Brooklyn and Milwaukee.  I want those two matching up in a seven game series.

Ideally, we slot in at #3 or #4.  Potential paths if Brooklyn grabs the #7 seed:

With #3, our path is Chicago, winner of Milwaukee / Brooklyn, winner of Miami / Philly

With #4 our path is Toronto, Miami, one of Brooklyn / Philly / Milwaukee

With #2, it's Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Miami / Philly

To me, #2 is clearly the worst, right?  That's assuming that Brooklyn finishes 8th and wins the play-in game for #7.

But if we think we can beat BK, then don’t we want home court in the next round vs Bucks or Sixers which entails the #2 seed?

With Rob gone first round, it’s more important to get better matchup in first round and avoid BKLN. If Rob back full strength 2nd round we can beat ANYBODY and could care less about home court. It’s become irrelevant for our Rob squad.