NBA Season 2021-22

[RJD1974]

Raptors, Bulls losing. Cavaliers also losing. Heat in a close one

Cavs got away as Wizards choked. We have to root for the Nets against the Bucks.

I understand but it’s impossible to root for Irvin.

Plus, if there's a team I'd root for other than the Cs, it's the Bucks.

[#1P4P]

The Bucks are a tough, resilient team, they’d be the favorite in a playoff series against us, but I see us winning against them. The only team that I’d get knots over is the Nets with a healthy Durant, Kyrie, and Simmons.

[nickagneta]

The last 30 seconds of the Nets/Bucks game has taken almost 20 minutes to play out.

And ..Bucks lose ...nice.

[Jiri Welsch]

Bucks, Bulls, and Raptors lose.

With 20 games to go, the Celtics control their own destiny to a large extent.

[Moranis]

Markelle Fultz to return to action Monday. He got hurt in January 2021 and hasn't played since.

[gouki88]

Yeah... the 76ers are going to be a problem.

If Marcus Smart is healthy, James Harden doesn’t scare me too much.  That matchup has gone very well for the Celtics over the years.

While we've had success keeping him inefficient from the field, he has routinely been able to butcher us inside, averaging 12FTAs against Marcus Smart sides in his career (14 games). Embiid, against teams with Smart, has averaged 11.7FTAs in 15 games. That's a lot of free throws for guys who shoot 84% and above from the FT line, which is what scares me most.

[celticsclay]

People have treated the 76ers as a looming boogeyman for about 8 years now? They have never even made an ecf. Maybe this is finally the year they make an ecf but this team has a ton less talent than the butler, simmons, Harris, reddick Embid team.

[Sophomore]

The Bucks are a tough, resilient team, they’d be the favorite in a playoff series against us, but I see us winning against them. The only team that I’d get knots over is the Nets with a healthy Durant, Kyrie, and Simmons.

Agree with this, though I don’t think Simmons matters much one way or the other. KD is really number 1 for me, Kyrie a pretty distant second. KD almost beat the Bucks last year almost by himself. There isn’t a better big game player in the league when he’s healthy.

Was hard to know who to root for last night.

[gouki88]

People have treated the 76ers as a looming boogeyman for about 8 years now? They have never even made an ecf. Maybe this is finally the year they make an ecf but this team has a ton less talent than the butler, simmons, Harris, reddick Embid team.

Then v now:
Simmons <<< Harden
Redick = Maxey
Butler >>> Thybulle
Harris = Harris
Embiid < Embiid (significant growth)

Is that a ton less talent?

[SHAQATTACK]

Irving carried Nets over the Bucks quietly killing them and with KD  play n ,  I give Philly a 1 in 10 chance of advancing past Nets .only injury wil stop Nets from taking the East.

[moiso]

People have treated the 76ers as a looming boogeyman for about 8 years now? They have never even made an ecf. Maybe this is finally the year they make an ecf but this team has a ton less talent than the butler, simmons, Harris, reddick Embid team.

Then v now:
Simmons <<< Harden
Redick = Maxey
Butler >>> Thybulle
Harris = Harris
Embiid < Embiid (significant growth)

Is that a ton less talent?

The initial thought is that they lost a top 15 player in Butler which is huge.  But you are so right about Embiid.  Embiid is not the same player.  The Embiid of a few years ago was just as talented as he is now but he didn't scare me.  If he happened to stay healthy, he generally lacked the conditioning to carry the team for more than a couple great quarters.  The Embiid we see now is an absolute monster.  He does so many things we have never seen someone his size do, and he's in much better shape to do those things throughout an entire game.  If we ignore career accomplishments, a case can easily be made that Embiid is the best center ever based on his play this year.  He seems like he is ready to carry the team further this year.

[Surferdad]

People have treated the 76ers as a looming boogeyman for about 8 years now? They have never even made an ecf. Maybe this is finally the year they make an ecf but this team has a ton less talent than the butler, simmons, Harris, reddick Embid team.

Then v now:
Simmons <<< Harden
Redick = Maxey
Butler >>> Thybulle
Harris = Harris
Embiid < Embiid (significant growth)

Is that a ton less talent?

The initial thought is that they lost a top 15 player in Butler which is huge.  But you are so right about Embiid.  Embiid is not the same player.  The Embiid of a few years ago was just as talented as he is now but he didn't scare me.  If he happened to stay healthy, he generally lacked the conditioning to carry the team for more than a couple great quarters.  The Embiid we see now is an absolute monster.  He does so many things we have never seen someone his size do, and he's in much better shape to do those things throughout an entire game.  If we ignore career accomplishments, a case can easily be made that Embiid is the best center ever based on his play this year.  He seems like he is ready to carry the team further this year.

Wow, high praise given that he's not even the best center this season. Jokic for MVP, better 3-pt shooter and much better passer.

[Moranis]

People have treated the 76ers as a looming boogeyman for about 8 years now? They have never even made an ecf. Maybe this is finally the year they make an ecf but this team has a ton less talent than the butler, simmons, Harris, reddick Embid team.

Then v now:
Simmons <<< Harden
Redick = Maxey
Butler >>> Thybulle
Harris = Harris
Embiid < Embiid (significant growth)

Is that a ton less talent?

the Butler team had the better 3rd guy. but Harden is just flat out better than Butler or Simmons and that matters.  Also, as you say Embiid is better now.  And that Butler team was basically just the starters as they used all their depth to acquire not only Butler but also Harris.  The main bench in the playoffs was Ennis, Scott, Majanovic, Bolden, and Monroe. That is an awful bench.  The Sixers don't have great depth this year either, but I'd take Green, Niang, and Milton over those guys and maybe even Millsap.  Plus Korkmaz is better than he was then as well.  So this team has a better top 2 and a better bench, that historically would make a team a better playoff threat.

[#1P4P]

The Bucks are a tough, resilient team, they’d be the favorite in a playoff series against us, but I see us winning against them. The only team that I’d get knots over is the Nets with a healthy Durant, Kyrie, and Simmons.

Agree with this, though I don’t think Simmons matters much one way or the other. KD is really number 1 for me, Kyrie a pretty distant second. KD almost beat the Bucks last year almost by himself. There isn’t a better big game player in the league when he’s healthy.

Was hard to know who to root for last night.

I agree with KD being the clear number 1 on the Nets. His consistency as the #1 option and ability to do it by himself is what distances him from Kyrie. To me, Kyrie is more of a #1B than #2 option next to KD. KI feeds off of his running mate and will match their scoring in those conditions, which is why he’s a poor #1 then turns into superstar caliber next to a superstar.

Simmons leaving at one of the lowest points of his career has diminished the perception of his on-court value; the kid is valuable and addresses one of the Nets weaknesses.

Having Simmons to guard 1-5 at an elite level, be an above average rebounder (unless he plays the 5), and playmaker that can push the pace and post up smaller players will be tough to deal with. He’s perfect for the Nets, they’re the most talented roster in the NBA. The only question is if the leadership is there to get over the hump.

We will have to “out-team” them to beat them.

[td450]

Simmons is going to have 10 games or so to get acclimated, then he's going to face the playoffs. Because they have so many losses, they are going to be tested in the first round. It will be interesting to watch whether he can handle the pressure, and whether KD and Kyrie will show him any real trust. I could see it going OK, or I could see it creating some serious problems with team dynamics.

Teams are going to force him to stand up and make pressure plays. To make foul shots. It doesn't sound like he's been putting in the work.

A lot depends on what Simmons expectations are. Is he really going to be OK being a role player, and possibly not even playing in crunch time?