We're the Jeff Green of Teams...

[Roy H.]

In other words, wildly inconsistent, at times looking elite, at other times looking like we're just going through the motions.

First 20 games:  10-10 (.500; 42 win pace)

Middle 34 games: 25-9 (.735; 60 win pace)

Last 10 games:  3-7 (.300; 25 win pace)

For the majority of the season, we've played like an elite team; only the Bucks have outmatched that .735 winning percentage for the entire year.

But, for just less than half the season, we've played at a clip of 13-17, which is on pace for a 36 win team.  That would put us somewhere between the Pelicans and the Mavericks in the standings.

I think the takeaway is the obvious one:  the team is very capable of being one of the best teams in the league.  For whatever reason, though, they're lazy / easily distractable.  I don't think there's nearly as much reason to panic or to jettison players as some seem to think.  At the same team, it's hard to ask fans to buy into the team that has showed up 53% of the time, as opposed to the one that's out there 47%.

[Who]

I don't think there's nearly as much reason to panic or to jettison players as some seem to think.

I agree. They are having a bad spell at the moment but I still have huge confidence in the talent on this team.

I think both Tatum and Jaylen are All-Star players. Both Horford and Kyrie are All-Star players. Hayward isn't and it's hard to know if he'll get back there. Have to wait another year at least. Both Smart and Rozier are 6th man of the year material (talent wise -- performance wise, Rozier is obviously nowhere near that discussion given how he has played this season). Marcus Morris is a solid 6th man. That is 4 All-Stars and 3 guys who could be a good to great 6th man. Then there is Baynes who is a rock solid glue guy when available. Theis and Semi are very good non-rotation bench players to adequate rotation guys.

This is a team with talent and depth. I feel great about this team when I look at the roster and see the talent that is available. This is a team that can win a Championship.

They have been completely out of whack for the last couple of games but they were fantastic for a long period before this. They can get back to that. They can play like that in the playoffs ... and if they do, they are my frontrunner to win the East and play Golden State in the Finals - and while they won't be the favourite in that series, they are most definitely capable of winning that series. 

[Donoghus]

We won't know a thing until April/May when this team has something to play for and, for lack of a better term, have a gun to their head.

Right now, its just uninspired, really bad coasting.

[tazzmaniac]

We're 14-17 against .500 and above teams.  The schedule during that middle streak was rather easy.  If I counted correctly, only 11 of the teams played are .500+.  During the last 10 games, 7 of the 10 are .500+. 

[Who]

I feel good about bringing back the core of this team next year if we miss out on Anthony Davis.

I'd keep our big five and Smart. That's our core. I'd let Rozier and Morris leave in free agency. I'd look to get Horford more help around the basket. Go after another big man. I like Poeltl in San Antonio. Give the team more size & physical toughness in the paint to go alongside all those perimeter scorers. Go with low usage role players instead of Morris and Rozier.

I think there is a good group here on this team. They haven't performed consistently but I believe in the talent of this core group and how they can work together.

[slamtheking]

I feel good about bringing back the core of this team next year if we miss out on Anthony Davis.

I'd keep our big five and Smart. That's our core. I'd let Rozier and Morris leave in free agency. I'd look to get Horford more help around the basket. Go after another big man. I like Poeltl in San Antonio. Give the team more size & physical toughness in the paint to go alongside all those perimeter scorers. Go with low usage role players instead of Morris and Rozier.

I think there is a good group here on this team. They haven't performed consistently but I believe in the talent of this core group and how they can work together.

Agreed.  I won't get particularly torn up if we don't get Davis (provided he doesn't go to the Lakers for a pittance) since we have a lot of talent on this team and Kyrie agrees to resign here and Danny knows the deal for AD is dead when picking in the draft so that he picks to our benefit, not NO's.

Let Rozier go and Morris too provided we can get a good PF/C with the MLE.  Theis, I'm lukewarm on right now.  not looking as good as he did last year but that can be said for everyone on the team.

Hopefully that extra year is what Hayward needs to get back to close to what he was pre-injury.  if not, would count the minutes until his contract is up.

no AD-trade C's;
- Kyrie, Smart, Tatum, Al, Baynes. 
- bench: Brown, Hayward, Theis, MLE PF/C, Vet back-up PG
- deep bench: Williams, Semi, Wanamaker, Yabu,  1st rounder (would look for Danny to combine the 3 we're looking at having this draft into a single pick OR a combo of Yabu and Wanamaker moved in a deal to free up a roster spot to be able to pick and retain 2-3 draft slots).

That's a very good team in the East - should certainly be capable of getting to the Finals.

[Big333223]

I hate this thread title. I hate how accurate it is. It's exactly right.

[Moranis]

In other words, wildly inconsistent, at times looking elite, at other times looking like we're just going through the motions.

First 20 games:  10-10 (.500; 42 win pace)

Middle 34 games: 25-9 (.735; 60 win pace)

Last 10 games:  3-7 (.300; 25 win pace)

For the majority of the season, we've played like an elite team; only the Bucks have outmatched that .735 winning percentage for the entire year.

But, for just less than half the season, we've played at a clip of 13-17, which is on pace for a 36 win team.  That would put us somewhere between the Pelicans and the Mavericks in the standings.

I think the takeaway is the obvious one:  the team is very capable of being one of the best teams in the league.  For whatever reason, though, they're lazy / easily distractable.  I don't think there's nearly as much reason to panic or to jettison players as some seem to think.  At the same team, it's hard to ask fans to buy into the team that has showed up 53% of the time, as opposed to the one that's out there 47%.

In multiple threads you keep talking about the record, but you continually make no allowance for the schedule strength in those stretches.  In the first 20 games, Boston played 13 games against teams that are currently playoff teams (1 of those was the Magic and 2 others were the Pistons).  In the next 34 games, Boston played just 13 games against teams currently in the playoffs (1 against the Magic, 1 against the Pistons, 3 against the Nets i.e. just 8 games against teams above .500 since they've yet to play the Kings and they are the only team above .500 that isn't in the playoffs).  In the last 10 games, Boston has played 7 games against teams currently in the playoffs (1 against the Pistons). 

SCHEDULE MATTERS

[Jamilmac99]

I hate this thread title. I hate how accurate it is. It's exactly right.

LOL- pretty much hits the nail right on the head. Has there ever in history been a more underachieving "hate-able"  Celtics squad??

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I hate this thread title. I hate how accurate it is. It's exactly right.

LOL- pretty much hits the nail right on the head. Has there ever in history been a more underachieving "hate-able"  Celtics squad??

LOL, yeah, everything about this is true.

[Phantom255x]

What was evident to me was in that 25-9 stretch, we actually were playing beautiful basketball and everyone looked happy, confident and more engaged. However it seems once that AD trade saga happened and then the All-Star Break occurred, our momentum was halted and we've looked flat again. I thought the ASB would help us but it didn't. It wasn't the Anthony Davis trade request itself that did this team in, it was the other aspects of it like Kyrie's whole FA situation and media speculation that did, which was started by Lebron and that scumbag Rich Paul. It makes me happy though knowing that despite our drama, it really isn't as bad as what's happening with the Lakers.

The other thing too, we're just not hitting our shots. We're only shooting like 27% from behind the arc since the break, and even open looks we're just missing. If we can start hitting more of them and start moving the ball around more, we'll look like that team who went on the 25-9 clip which included big wins against elite teams. Tatum has got to be smarter though and Brad HAS to move Morris to the bench and have Jaylen start. The fact that he hasn't made this change yet is baffling.

[JBcat]

A small quibble.  I never really thought of Jeff Green as having elite talent.  His lack of a first step, lateral quickness, subpar being physical and average at best ball handling really held him back. His length and straight line speed helped him though where some games it would show up.

As bad as the last 10 games have seemed 2 of those losses, the Bucks and Lakers were by 1 point.  We are in a funk though.

I also wouldn’t call the first 20 game stretch due to laziness or whatever.  Stevens rode Brown (fighting through early season injuries) and Hayward (coming back from a major injury) probably too much in the starting lineup. Horford himself was fighting injuries earlier in the year, and has been much better the last couple months. I recall Irving actually probably deferring too much to start the season.

Once we got through all that the middle part of the season was very good.

I’m hoping this latest stretch is just a team slump. I’m worried about Hayward though.   It looks like he took a step back after the all star break after playing very well from January through the break.

I do think it’s time we move Morris to the bench. I was afraid he could come crashing back down to earth as he was going through a career best stretch.