Author Topic: What do we need to make the finals?  (Read 11126 times)

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What do we need to make the finals?
« on: January 10, 2021, 03:50:39 PM »

Offline litangel

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First of all, Health! I do not think we are good enough to be missing a major piece and still make it to the finals, not in the stacked East.
Assuming health - The Jays are a great 2 wing combo - the best duo in the East, Brooklyn top 2 may have more skill, but also more health concern (Durant)and head case concern (Kyrie!)
PG with a healthy Kemba (like first half of last year) and FastPP as a back up is playoff caliber. given those 3 top notch positions, I think we can live with our 3 headed center position. 2 are at least league average, and Timelord may be by the end of the year.
The rub is our 3rd wing. If it is Smart, then our bench is weak, and I actually think MS plays better with his energy coming off the bench. To truly be finals ready, one of two things need to happen - either one of our wings needs to take a huge leap during the year. I appreciate the growth in Gwill and Semi, but that is not enough to make the finals. We need a quality two way wing. The one other possibility, is that at least 3 wings take moderate leaps (and this must include the offensive end), and we have 3 almost starter quality wings, out of Gwill, Semi, Jgreen, Nesmith, and Langford and we can mix and match. But I think these are the less likely scenarios.
I think the most likely way we are finals ready, is to use that trade exception, and pick up a quality 2-way wing around the trade deadline. If we feel good enough about our current player's development, this player could even be a 1/2 year rental (reducing the cost in assets).

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2021, 04:44:54 PM »

Offline GreenWarrior

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At best as currently constituted We're a team that could win a lot of games and that's about it. Unfortunately I do think this team is likely a 7 seed this season. The team is structured poorly, we should not be developing players past tatum and brown. We shouldn't be relying on 2nd yr. players on our bench. That and our coach doesn't care that our offense is what holds this team back. If this team was #1 in every defensive category it might not matter but we're not.

Every season we've made the playoffs under stevens this team has lost the same way - shooting our way out of the playoffs. I won't blame him for Smarts' poor shot selection but you'd think the coach would have said something by now.

This team needs to value offensive possessions and not just chuck shots up because every yr. we get this false sense of security because of what happens in the regular season. And then we wonder why they collapse in the playoffs - because those bad shots we take don't fall when it truly matters, they just don't. And they shouldn't because there should be no reward for playing poorly.

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2021, 06:27:00 PM »

Online ChillyWilly

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Win 3 playoff rounds in a row
ok fine

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2021, 07:04:04 PM »

Offline BringToughnessBack

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Covid will determine who makes the finals this year unless they bubble it soon.

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2021, 07:16:30 PM »

Offline jambr380

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At best as currently constituted We're a team that could win a lot of games and that's about it. Unfortunately I do think this team is likely a 7 seed this season. The team is structured poorly, we should not be developing players past tatum and brown. We shouldn't be relying on 2nd yr. players on our bench. That and our coach doesn't care that our offense is what holds this team back. If this team was #1 in every defensive category it might not matter but we're not.

Every season we've made the playoffs under stevens this team has lost the same way - shooting our way out of the playoffs. I won't blame him for Smarts' poor shot selection but you'd think the coach would have said something by now.

This team needs to value offensive possessions and not just chuck shots up because every yr. we get this false sense of security because of what happens in the regular season. And then we wonder why they collapse in the playoffs - because those bad shots we take don't fall when it truly matters, they just don't. And they shouldn't because there should be no reward for playing poorly.

I don't disagree that there are some things I'd like to see done differently, but I wouldn't say there is a huge gulf between how our team performs in the regular season vs the postseason. If we were consistently finishing 1st in the EC each year and then failing to advance that would be one thing; but we've made the ECF 3 out of the last 4 seasons - that is pretty great, considering.

2018-19 was really our only underperforming year, as we had the roster to go all the way, but we sucked in the regular season, too.

Either way, let's just hope we can keep improving, stay healthy, and add players that complement the Jays. Also, that a couple of our young guys really turn into more than just a pretty good player.
« Last Edit: January 11, 2021, 12:26:06 AM by jambr380 »

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2021, 07:47:11 PM »

Offline GreenWarrior

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At best as currently constituted We're a team that could win a lot of games and that's about it. Unfortunately I do think this team is likely a 7 seed this season. The team is structured poorly, we should not be developing players past tatum and brown. We shouldn't be relying on 2nd yr. players on our bench. That and our coach doesn't care that our offense is what holds this team back. If this team was #1 in every defensive category it might not matter but we're not.

Every season we've made the playoffs under stevens this team has lost the same way - shooting our way out of the playoffs. I won't blame him for Smarts' poor shot selection but you'd think the coach would have said something by now.

This team needs to value offensive possessions and not just chuck shots up because every yr. we get this false sense of security because of what happens in the regular season. And then we wonder why they collapse in the playoffs - because those bad shots we take don't fall when it truly matters, they just don't. And they shouldn't because there should be no reward for playing poorly.

I don't disagree that there are some things I'd like to see done differently, but I wouldn't say there is a huge gulf between how our team performs in the regular season vs the postseason. If we were consistently finishing 1st in the EC each year and then failing to advance that would be one thing; but we've made the Finals 3 out of the last 4 seasons - that is pretty great, considering.

2018-19 was really our only underperforming year, as we had the roster to go all the way, but we sucked in the regular season, too.

Either way, let's just hope we can keep improving, stay healthy, and add players that complement the Jays. Also, that a couple of our young guys really turn into more than just a pretty good player.

The poor shot selection catches up with us. I would trade a few reg. season wins if it meant we didn't settle for bad, lazy offense in the playoffs.

The common denominator is not taking it to the basket and settling for jump shots in our playoff losses, it's not who we've played because this is what has eliminated us during stevens' tenure here.

And stevens has encouraged bad shot selection. We fix this and we'll see the best of this team.

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2021, 07:58:31 PM »

Offline Moranis

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James Harden
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2021, 09:18:56 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

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lebron with covid

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2021, 12:13:39 AM »

Offline Somebody

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Our squad getting healthy come playoff time and maintaining what we've been doing recently in crunch time.
Jaylen Brown for All-NBA

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2021, 12:14:51 AM »

Offline aingeforthree

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Vucevic

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2021, 10:52:37 AM »

Offline Darth_Yoda

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Brad to be a more assertive coach that hold players accountable and is not afraid of players/ref/opposing coaches etc.
'21 Historical Draft
PG: Kyle Lowry / Mookie Blaylock / Mark Jackson
SG: Reggie Miller / Jeff Hornacek / Nick Anderson
SF: George Gervin / George McGinnis / Kyle Korver
PF: Connie Hawkins / Serge Ibaka / Josh Smith
C: Clint Capela / Bill Laimbeer / Jusuf Nurkic

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2021, 10:58:35 AM »

Offline Moranis

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lebron with covid
how does that help Boston make the Finals?
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2021, 11:07:30 AM »

Offline Hoopvortex

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Brad to be a more assertive coach that hold players accountable and is not afraid of players/ref/opposing coaches etc.

Sit behind the bench during a fourth quarter and we’ll see if you still want to claim this.
'I was proud of Marcus Smart. He did a great job of keeping us together. He might not get credit for this game, but the pace that he played at, and his playcalling, some of the plays that he called were great. We obviously have to rely on him, so I’m definitely looking forward to Marcus leading this team in that role.' - Jaylen Brown, January 2021

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2021, 01:25:51 PM »

Offline td450

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1. Healthy Tatum and Brown

2. A bit of maturity growth from Marcus Smart

3. Kemba returns and is integrated as a volume bench scorer and gives us 14 ppg in about 20+ mpg. He's at peak for playoffs.

4. Langford returns and is a legit rotation player.

5. Minor improvement offensively from Theis as he figures out how to play forward role with another big when that is required

6. Wildcard - any net positive move at the trade deadline


Keep in mind many of us are a bit unsettled with the state of this team, yet we are 7-3 without Kemba playing a minute.

Re: What do we need to make the finals?
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2021, 01:54:32 PM »

Offline perks-a-beast

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With the team as is, they’ll make the ECF AT BEST. That’s with Tatum/Brown clicking on all cylinders and with Kemba back to the player he was at the start of last season.


To make it to the finals or win the finals I think they need to get Bradley Beal without giving up Tatum or Brown. But that’s a big ask and may not even be possible. I’m not going to mention James Harden because I wouldn’t touch him with a thirty foot pole. Great player but huge risk.