Nuggets (30-24) at Celtics (31-25) Game #57 2/11/22

[Celtics2021]

Crazy that only three weeks ago we had that terrible loss to Portland and blowing up the team seemed like the best course of action.

[todd_days_41]

+11 for DW. Nice.

[nickagneta]

Grant with two big blocks tonight. His better conditioning sure seems to have paid off with a faster, more powerful first step and some extra vertical. He is definitely blocking way more shots this year.

[gouki88]

Grant with two big blocks tonight. His better conditioning sure seems to have paid off with a faster, more powerful first step and some extra vertical. He is definitely blocking way more shots this year.

His efficiency is also amazing. 48/43/90 is superb

[Sophomore]

Rob can block inside and cover outside unlike other elite shot-blockers. That's what elevated what was a good defense into an elite one before the new acquisitions yesterday.

I remember hearing that Rob was an undersized center and we needed someone like valanciunas…

[ozgod]

the biggest positive note I take away from this win is that battled for a gritty win in the fourth quarter and doing this when their shooting was crap and against a very good team.

very, very solid win.

Yes this is just our 5th win in 16 games where we’ve shot less than .300 from 3 and won. Again like the Orlando win it was because Denver shot even worse than us from 3, about .250. Our defense was suffocating at times and pretty much any lineup we used except the ones Payton was in we were able to switch everything. I liked how they had Al pick up Jokic first at the top of the key to keep Rob as a rim defender.

Amazing what 3 weeks and a few wins makes eh…3 weeks ago people were all ready to blow it all up and start over. Just needed a few tweaks and the team to get healthy, and some luck to get us back on track. It’s a long season as they say 

[Chief]

PP's might be a defensive liability.  I'd rather play Nesmith.

[CBS_Take a Report]

Grant with two big blocks tonight. His better conditioning sure seems to have paid off with a faster, more powerful first step and some extra vertical. He is definitely blocking way more shots this year.

His efficiency is also amazing. 48/43/90 is superb

He did impact Whites stat line on the assist with that gimme layup from that dime from DWhite.

This team is likable and in a year where the East and frankly the championship is up in the air I love where we are trending: gritty, defensive, fast break, driving team. When we are going to the hoop we are worlds better offensively.

[trickybilly]

Grant with two big blocks tonight. His better conditioning sure seems to have paid off with a faster, more powerful first step and some extra vertical. He is definitely blocking way more shots this year.

His efficiency is also amazing. 48/43/90 is superb

I thought .500 from the field was the Mendoza line...

[Celtics2021]

Grant with two big blocks tonight. His better conditioning sure seems to have paid off with a faster, more powerful first step and some extra vertical. He is definitely blocking way more shots this year.

His efficiency is also amazing. 48/43/90 is superb

I thought .500 from the field was the Mendoza line...

The Mendoza line used to be a .200 batting average, which until the last couple years of baseball, was considered the bare minimum you needed to hit to be a big-leaguer.  The league average from the field is .456 this year, so Grant is above average, and certainly not barely scraping by from a shooting perspective.

[liam]

WE actually shot better from 3 than the Nuggets and took fewer 3s.

[Celtics4ever]

Boy talk about a wild swing in fans on White.    I think it is a little irrational.   I liked the trade and like his play in the game but some folks are acting liked he is the second coming.

He is a good complimentary player, the kind we should surround the J's with, in my opinion.

[Who]

Denver's bench was shocking(ly bad).

C: Jokic, JayMychal Green
F: Aaron Gordon, Nanji
F: Jeff Green, Forbes
G: Barton, A.Rivers
G: Hyland, Campazzo

Even the starting lineup. Jokic is awesome. Aaron Gordon is a good starter. Barton is a solid starter. But Jeff Green? Hyland? Jeff Green is an average bench player. Hyland is a 3rd stringer.

Then the bench. Campazzo is a 3rd stringer. Forbes is a below average backup SG. A.Rivers is a below average backup guard (combo guard). No size on the wings. Far too small and timid perimeter corps. Then the bigs - JayMychal Green is fine but not great. More of a makeshift forward turned center break in case of emergencies option. I never even heard of this Nnaji guy before.

That is a terrible terrible bench.

And the starting lineup has two major holes in it as well which I guess happens when you lose two of your star players in M.Porter and J.Murray.

-------------------------------------

Two other takeaways from this bad bench:

(1) It made me respect what Jokic is doing even more in keeping Denver well into the playoff hunt (6th in West). Plus the individual numbers he is putting up despite teams being able to hone in him due to the terrible cast around. Super impressive.

(2) Boston's bench, well 8 man (future) rotation, stood out in contrast.

Guards: Marcus Smart, Derrick White
Forwards: Tatum, Jaylen, Grant Williams
Bigs: Rob Williams, Horford, Theis

8 legit NBA guys. They were able to rotate and manage their lineups wells to have quality on the floor at all times. It was that depth that set them apart.

The bench is more unreliable past that point - Pritchard, Nesmith, end of season newbies.

But that first 8 is rock solid.

I'm not convinced we have enough elite talent to win a title -- I believe we need a 3rd guy next to the Jays -- but with that depth, we can beat all other second tier teams and knock off a top team that has shaky depth.

They are going to be a real tough out in the playoffs.

[Phantom255x]

Denver's bench was shocking(ly bad).

C: Jokic, JayMychal Green
F: Aaron Gordon, Nanji
F: Jeff Green, Forbes
G: Barton, A.Rivers
G: Hyland, Campazzo

Even the starting lineup. Jokic is awesome. Aaron Gordon is a good starter. Barton is a solid starter. But Jeff Green? Hyland? Jeff Green is an average bench player. Hyland is a 3rd stringer.

Then the bench. Campazzo is a 3rd stringer. Forbes is a below average backup SG. A.Rivers is a below average backup guard (combo guard). No size on the wings. Far too small and timid perimeter corps. Then the bigs - JayMychal Green is fine but not great. More of a makeshift forward turned center break in case of emergencies option. I never even heard of this Nnaji guy before.

That is a terrible terrible bench.

And the starting lineup has two major holes in it as well which I guess happens when you lose two of your star players in M.Porter and J.Murray.

-------------------------------------

Two other takeaways from this bad bench:

(1) It made me respect what Jokic is doing even more in keeping Denver well into the playoff hunt (6th in West). Plus the individual numbers he is putting up despite teams being able to hone in him due to the terrible cast around. Super impressive.

(2) Boston's bench, well 8 man (future) rotation, stood out in contrast.

Guards: Marcus Smart, Derrick White
Forwards: Tatum, Jaylen, Grant Williams
Bigs: Rob Williams, Horford, Theis

8 legit NBA guys. They were able to rotate and manage their lineups wells to have quality on the floor at all times. It was that depth that set them apart.

The bench is more unreliable past that point - Pritchard, Nesmith, end of season newbies.

But that first 8 is rock solid.

I'm not convinced we have enough elite talent to win a title -- I believe we need a 3rd guy next to the Jays -- but with that depth, we can beat all other second tier teams and knock off a top team that has shaky depth.

They are going to be a real tough out in the playoffs.

TP, well said with everything. What I do find annoying is that Jeff Green somehow is like Middleton in that he just torches the Celtics and makes big plays against them lol. Doesn't matter what team he's on or the situation, he just has his best stuff against the C's it seems.

The C's have a very solid 8-man rotation and IF they can stay healthy, they will indeed be a tough out. I'm really hoping they can add 1 or even 2 guys from the buyout market because then that'd just improve the team even more. Gary Harris is the dream for me but even a guy like Dragic or Robin Lopez would help too for bench depth.

[smokeablount]

Denver's bench was shocking(ly bad).

C: Jokic, JayMychal Green
F: Aaron Gordon, Nanji
F: Jeff Green, Forbes
G: Barton, A.Rivers
G: Hyland, Campazzo

Even the starting lineup. Jokic is awesome. Aaron Gordon is a good starter. Barton is a solid starter. But Jeff Green? Hyland? Jeff Green is an average bench player. Hyland is a 3rd stringer.

Then the bench. Campazzo is a 3rd stringer. Forbes is a below average backup SG. A.Rivers is a below average backup guard (combo guard). No size on the wings. Far too small and timid perimeter corps. Then the bigs - JayMychal Green is fine but not great. More of a makeshift forward turned center break in case of emergencies option. I never even heard of this Nnaji guy before.

That is a terrible terrible bench.

And the starting lineup has two major holes in it as well which I guess happens when you lose two of your star players in M.Porter and J.Murray.

-------------------------------------

Two other takeaways from this bad bench:

(1) It made me respect what Jokic is doing even more in keeping Denver well into the playoff hunt (6th in West). Plus the individual numbers he is putting up despite teams being able to hone in him due to the terrible cast around. Super impressive.

(2) Boston's bench, well 8 man (future) rotation, stood out in contrast.

Guards: Marcus Smart, Derrick White
Forwards: Tatum, Jaylen, Grant Williams
Bigs: Rob Williams, Horford, Theis

8 legit NBA guys. They were able to rotate and manage their lineups wells to have quality on the floor at all times. It was that depth that set them apart.

The bench is more unreliable past that point - Pritchard, Nesmith, end of season newbies.

But that first 8 is rock solid.

I'm not convinced we have enough elite talent to win a title -- I believe we need a 3rd guy next to the Jays -- but with that depth, we can beat all other second tier teams and knock off a top team that has shaky depth.

They are going to be a real tough out in the playoffs.

Yeah I think Jokic is the clear MVP this year and it isn’t all that close.