The # 1 seed in the East might not be unattainable this year

[incoherent]

Great job Jpotter, seriously you pretty much called it 100%.

[SparzWizard]

I'm pretty certain that the Cavs WANT to finish second in the East.  They don't care at all about the Celtics.  They see Toronto as their main rival & want to play them in the second found.  So that when They beat them in what could be a long series, They get to play an easy opponent in the East Finals.  They want to have a short series so they can start their finals against  the Warriors well rested.

The current seeding is beneficial for both Celts & Cavs.

That's how I read the situation.

Logic seems weird. I'm pretty sure if you're concerned about playing a team, you'd rather not play them for another round and give some other team a chance to to knock them off for you.

I think we used that exact same strategy to a degree in 2010 didn't we? Everyone thought the Cavs would be a powerhouse with Shaq and LeBron, and we dispatched them in 6 games that year to proceed to beat the Magics in 5. Perhaps they want to be use more of their energy early on in the playoffs so they can hopefully dispatch the lesser opponent in the conference finals to get extended rest for the finals.

We beat them in 6. We COULD have swept them...but I remember we lost Game 4 at home in OT, and then got demolished at Orlando in Game 5 when Big Baby went down and Perkins was suspended for his technical foul. Game 6 sealed the deal at the Garden! That series scared me cuz I felt the Celtics almost blew a 3-0 series lead.

[KGs Knee]

What I thought was interesting was how many people seemed to think Indiana was going to be a top team in the East.

[kraidstar]

What I thought was interesting was how many people seemed to think Indiana was going to be a top team in the East.

Yeah, they have been a huge disappointment. They added some nice players who on paper looked like they would complement their core well.

I thought Teague, Thad Young, and Al Jefferson would really round out the team nicely.

Detroit has been a massive failure.

And Washington looks like they have turned the corner a bit with some competent coaching. That team is really talented, if they can just get a couple more good players they would be a legit contender.

[mef730]

Now I am more disappointed that Ainge didn't want to add Ibaka and/or Tucker.  It's like he threw in the towel on this year.  I am huge Ainge fan, but this one could have been done differently.

Do we have any final rumors, so to speak, on what Orlando was asking of us for Ibaka?

Mike

[jpotter33]

Exactly.   That's why they tested us at full force a week ago to see how much of a problem we would pose. They tested, we failed & they have their eyes set on Toronto now. Play them earlier to be fresh for the finals.   I don't think the Cavs feel Boston would be able to beat Toronto in round 2 so they want to finish that job themselves asap.

Yeah, this isn't what happened. Did you watch the game? The Cavs did not all of a sudden break out of their funk, flip the switch, and start playing championship basketball again. We were legitimately just that bad that game. We gifted them that game with our terrible play. Their defense was still God awful and full of holes and missed rotations. I think one of the NBA Twitter beat writer accounts even made a compilation of their missed rotations that game that lasted like 5 minutes.

They just lost three games in a row after the Boston game, so they're clearly in a rut and not doing this on purpose. Lebron played huge minutes trying to keep the 1 seed, which is far from normal for him at the end of the season. I think this entire narrative is off-base.

[jpotter33]

Exactly.   That's why they tested us at full force a week ago to see how much of a problem we would pose. They tested, we failed & they have their eyes set on Toronto now. Play them earlier to be fresh for the finals.   I don't think the Cavs feel Boston would be able to beat Toronto in round 2 so they want to finish that job themselves asap.

Yeah, this isn't what happened. Did you watch the game? The Cavs did not all of a sudden break out of their funk, flip the switch, and start playing championship basketball again. We were legitimately just that bad that game. We gifted them that game with our terrible play. Their defense was still God awful and full of holes and missed rotations. I think one of the NBA Twitter beat writer accounts even made a compilation of their missed rotations that game that lasted like 5 minutes.

They just lost three games in a row after the Boston game, so they're clearly in a rut and not doing this on purpose. Lebron played huge minutes trying to keep the 1 seed, which is far from normal for him at the end of the season. I think this entire narrative is off-base.

Though not specifically the one I was talking about, here's a good video breaking down the Cavs' poor D of late.

https://youtu.be/Bm0svVeNo3s

If we face them in the playoffs, the IT/Al PnR should be a staple of our offense to get Kyrie and Love to defend the PnR, which has not worked out for them lately at all.

[action781]

I'm pretty certain that the Cavs WANT to finish second in the East.  They don't care at all about the Celtics.  They see Toronto as their main rival & want to play them in the second found.  So that when They beat them in what could be a long series, They get to play an easy opponent in the East Finals.  They want to have a short series so they can start their finals against  the Warriors well rested.

The current seeding is beneficial for both Celts & Cavs.

That's how I read the situation.

Logic seems weird. I'm pretty sure if you're concerned about playing a team, you'd rather not play them for another round and give some other team a chance to to knock them off for you.

I think we used that exact same strategy to a degree in 2010 didn't we? Everyone thought the Cavs would be a powerhouse with Shaq and LeBron, and we dispatched them in 6 games that year to proceed to beat the Magics in 5. Perhaps they want to be use more of their energy early on in the playoffs so they can hopefully dispatch the lesser opponent in the conference finals to get extended rest for the finals.

That wasn't our "strategy".  That's just what ended up happening.

[RockinRyA]

Yep, and it will have the same results as when the Hawks were the number one seed.

You mean reach ECF despite losing key players to injuries?

I'll take that!

[Celtics4ever]

You mean reach ECF despite losing key players to injuries?

We had guys out but did we really lose people, they came back.  Losing people means their gone for the year, we had guys with injuries.

We have not reached the finals yet, folks.  When last I looked, though I hope we do, I don't tae it for granted.   

Just kid this one your minds,   For some teams, their season is the postseason.   Regular season does not matter to them.  It is going to have to be this way for us, this year or we will get trounced again.  We need to find the extra gear. 

Sorry to pee in the Pep Rally Punch.   Guys have to go out and play and deliver when it matters now.   I hope they do it.

[RockinRyA]

You mean reach ECF despite losing key players to injuries?

We had guys out but did we really lose people, they came back.  Losing people means their gone for the year, we had guys with injuries.

We have not reached the finals yet, folks.  When last I looked, though I hope we do, I don't tae it for granted.   

Just kid this one your minds,   For some teams, their season is the postseason.   Regular season does not matter to them.  It is going to have to be this way for us, this year or we will get trounced again.  We need to find the extra gear. 

Sorry to pee in the Pep Rally Punch.   Guys have to go out and play and deliver when it matters now.   I hope they do it.

Did I say Celtics? No.

That Hawks team that everybody is comparing us to as an insult is actually a good team. That team reached ECF despite losing Caroll, Korver etc to injuries. If we reach ECF I will be very happy. My prediction and expectations at the start of the year was 51 wins, 2nd seed, eliminated in 2nd round. So if we win the first round we wouldve exceeded my expectations

[mctyson]

Now I am more disappointed that Ainge didn't want to add Ibaka and/or Tucker.  It's like he threw in the towel on this year.  I am huge Ainge fan, but this one could have been done differently.

There is not a day that goes by that I am disappointed about not adding those two.  Not one.

[mctyson]

You mean reach ECF despite losing key players to injuries?

We had guys out but did we really lose people, they came back.  Losing people means their gone for the year, we had guys with injuries.

We have not reached the finals yet, folks.  When last I looked, though I hope we do, I don't tae it for granted.   

Just kid this one your minds,   For some teams, their season is the postseason.   Regular season does not matter to them.  It is going to have to be this way for us, this year or we will get trounced again.  We need to find the extra gear. 

Sorry to pee in the Pep Rally Punch.   Guys have to go out and play and deliver when it matters now.   I hope they do it.

That's stating the obvious, and there is no basketball fan that disagrees with it.  Yet in your first statement you confidently project Cleveland in the Finals.  That's not going out on a limb, but doesn't "go out and play and deliver" apply to the Cavs as well?