What to do...

[Goldstar88]

Win out, keep the momentum going.

We’re not even locked into home court in the first round yet.

I’m not seeing how the C’s can do worse than the 4 seed. They are 3 games  up on Toronto with 3 to go. They split with the Raptors during the season and the C’s have a better conference record by 4 games.

Toronto has 5 games left.

Chicago can still tie us if they win out and we lose out.  They’d have the tiebreaker.

We can finish as low as 6th if we lose our remaining three.

No way Chicago wins out. Look at their schedule. And the best Toronto can do is tie us and we own the tiebreaker. For all intents and purposes we’ve clinched home court for the first round.

That is what’s being reported as well. Which is why I’d rather sit everyone in the rotation for the remaining games and not take any chances.

Boston continues to soar through the regular season, as the Celtics have won 26 of their past 32 games after Sunday's obliteration of the Wizards in Boston's final home game of the regular season. Now comes a three-game road trip to wrap up the year in Chicago, Milwaukee and Memphis. The Celtics are still capable of finishing anywhere from first to fourth in the conference. -- Bontemps

[ozgod]

Play your butts off against Chicago.  TBD against Milwaukee since its the back end of a back to back but, personally, I would love the 2 seed.  Having HCA in the second round would be huge. 

The MEM game is going to be interesting.  They really don't have any incentive at this point.  Locked into that 2 seed.

Probably they will keep playing the way they have been until after the Milwaukee game and then give the starters the night off. Trying to be too clever and sitting them for a week runs the risk of going into the playoffs on a 3 game losing streak and risks people possibly getting out of rhythm. Rhythm is a funny thing in sports...you can't prove it exists because there's no empirical way to measure it but you know when it's not there and it can be really hard to get back.

[spikelovetheCelts]

I say Play everyone tonight in Chicago.
Let the Jays and Al Rest against the bucks then let them play a little against the Bucks and Rest Smart.
We do need to stay in sync.

[Vermont Green]

I think you need to take it game by game but for sure, play CHI to win.  Regular rotation, regular minutes, except for the very end of the game if we have a big lead.

Then in MIL, I still say play your regular rotation unless someone has a specific reason to need rest.  And the fact that it is a back to back does not mean you have to rest all the starters.  Most players probably have some aches and pains at this point in the season but that isn't going to be made better by resting one game and in most cases, is not going to be made worse either.  I doubt that Tatum, Brown, Smart want to sit anyway, maybe Horford, but I would think these guys want to play.

I prefer to play these games hard and win out over resting and losing 2 or 3 of the final games, just in terms of how the team is going to feel about themselves going into the playoffs.  I know it is only one game and there is no way to prove a correlation but we "rested" for the Toronto game and the hang over from that was playing poorly against MIA and losing.  No big in the regular season but we don't want that to happen going into the playoffs.

What could happen is that MIL or MEM may rest some of their key players and if that is the case, we can adjust to that but we should go into the games planning to play them to win, regular starters, regular rotation.  Then if we are way ahead and MIL (for example) isn't playing anyone, fine, play the second half like a summer league game.

[SHAQATTACK]

I’m all for throwing your best effort at Chicago and see what happens .  At least the way I see it , I d want that win in my back pocket as the rest unfolds.   I m sure Ime and Brad have thought it out 

[droopdog7]

I say Play everyone tonight in Chicago.
Let the Jays and Al Rest against the bucks then let them play a little against the Bucks and Rest Smart.
We do need to stay in sync.

They gonna be playing by themselves

[colincb]

BOS cannot finish 6th. If they lose out and TOR wins out, they end up with 2 wins against each other, are tied in the division, are tied for winning% in the division, and BOS wins the conference record tiebreaker which TOR cannot match.

[Vermont Green]

So as it stands right now, BKN is in 10th and the best they could do is win two play in games and be the 8th seed, right?  So if we are 2 right now, 2 is better than 3 in any case (round 2 home court).  And 4 means MIA or BKN in the second round.  That isn't better than 2 seed is it?  My point is that now that BKN is going to be 8 at best, there is no reason to try and jockey to get to the 4 seed as was part of the original debate of "what to do".

The path of (if we are the 2 seed):

vs ATL/CLE, vs. MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

is better than (if finish 3):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

or (if finish 4):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIA/BKN, @ PHI/MIL

If we hold on to 2 seed, that could mean the second round game 7 in Boston vs. on the road.  Everything else is pretty much the same.  I like the first round match up of ATL/CLE over TOR/CHI but not a huge difference.  And if we hold on to the 2 seed, we get PHI or MIL but with home court for game 7.  The 2 seed is clearly the best one to get.

When you look at 3 seed vs. 4 seed, the first round is TOR or CHI, can't control, doesn't make much difference but then it is just which of the top teams you have to go through first in the second round and ECF.  Probably don't have home court in any case.  At this point, there is no value in jockeying for position.  The best thing is to win and get the 2 seed.

[Roy H.]

So as it stands right now, BKN is in 10th and the best they could do is win two play in games and be the 8th seed, right?  So if we are 2 right now, 2 is better than 3 in any case (round 2 home court).  And 4 means MIA or BKN in the second round.  That isn't better than 2 seed is it?  My point is that now that BKN is going to be 8 at best, there is no reason to try and jockey to get to the 4 seed as was part of the original debate of "what to do".

The path of (if we are the 2 seed):

vs ATL/CLE, vs. MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

is better than (if finish 3):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

or (if finish 4):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIA/BKN, @ PHI/MIL

If we hold on to 2 seed, that could mean the second round game 7 in Boston vs. on the road.  Everything else is pretty much the same.  I like the first round match up of ATL/CLE over TOR/CHI but not a huge difference.  And if we hold on to the 2 seed, we get PHI or MIL but with home court for game 7.  The 2 seed is clearly the best one to get.

When you look at 3 seed vs. 4 seed, the first round is TOR or CHI, can't control, doesn't make much difference but then it is just which of the top teams you have to go through first in the second round and ECF.  Probably don't have home court in any case.  At this point, there is no value in jockeying for position.  The best thing is to win and get the 2 seed.

I guess the only potential argument is that it might be better to face BRK in the second round rather than the Conference Finals.  There's a theoretical chance that Simmons could be back, and the later we face BRK, the better that chance is.  Additionally, maybe a healthy Timelord is more crucial against PHI/MIL than MIA/BRK?  The more time Timelord has, the better he'll be?

[Vermont Green]

So as it stands right now, BKN is in 10th and the best they could do is win two play in games and be the 8th seed, right?  So if we are 2 right now, 2 is better than 3 in any case (round 2 home court).  And 4 means MIA or BKN in the second round.  That isn't better than 2 seed is it?  My point is that now that BKN is going to be 8 at best, there is no reason to try and jockey to get to the 4 seed as was part of the original debate of "what to do".

The path of (if we are the 2 seed):

vs ATL/CLE, vs. MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

is better than (if finish 3):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

or (if finish 4):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIA/BKN, @ PHI/MIL

If we hold on to 2 seed, that could mean the second round game 7 in Boston vs. on the road.  Everything else is pretty much the same.  I like the first round match up of ATL/CLE over TOR/CHI but not a huge difference.  And if we hold on to the 2 seed, we get PHI or MIL but with home court for game 7.  The 2 seed is clearly the best one to get.

When you look at 3 seed vs. 4 seed, the first round is TOR or CHI, can't control, doesn't make much difference but then it is just which of the top teams you have to go through first in the second round and ECF.  Probably don't have home court in any case.  At this point, there is no value in jockeying for position.  The best thing is to win and get the 2 seed.

I guess the only potential argument is that it might be better to face BRK in the second round rather than the Conference Finals.  There's a theoretical chance that Simmons could be back, and the later we face BRK, the better that chance is.  Additionally, maybe a healthy Timelord is more crucial against PHI/MIL than MIA/BRK?  The more time Timelord has, the better he'll be?

Fair points although I am not the least bit concerned about Simmons.  He might be more of a disruption than an improvement.  BKN has been a classic Jekyll and Hyde team in any case.  They still scare me though.  Hard to rank the 4 teams (MIA, MIL, PHI, BKN) in terms of who I would rather play the least.  The only thing you can say for sure is that it would be better to have game 7 at home.

As to Rob Williams, not sure how much he is going to help us in any case but I am certainly not going to try and jockey for the 4 seed just because I think he would be more help against one team or another.  You could be right, I just don't know how certain you can be either way.

There was a point in the season where I though playing MIA would be easier than PHI or MIL or BKN.  Now I am not even sure of that.  I think the most likely path for MIA now is BKN in the first round and then MIL in the second.  Tough road.  We may not even see MIA, even if we get to the ECF.

[droopdog7]

So as it stands right now, BKN is in 10th and the best they could do is win two play in games and be the 8th seed, right?  So if we are 2 right now, 2 is better than 3 in any case (round 2 home court).  And 4 means MIA or BKN in the second round.  That isn't better than 2 seed is it?  My point is that now that BKN is going to be 8 at best, there is no reason to try and jockey to get to the 4 seed as was part of the original debate of "what to do".

The path of (if we are the 2 seed):

vs ATL/CLE, vs. MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

is better than (if finish 3):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

or (if finish 4):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIA/BKN, @ PHI/MIL

If we hold on to 2 seed, that could mean the second round game 7 in Boston vs. on the road.  Everything else is pretty much the same.  I like the first round match up of ATL/CLE over TOR/CHI but not a huge difference.  And if we hold on to the 2 seed, we get PHI or MIL but with home court for game 7.  The 2 seed is clearly the best one to get.

When you look at 3 seed vs. 4 seed, the first round is TOR or CHI, can't control, doesn't make much difference but then it is just which of the top teams you have to go through first in the second round and ECF.  Probably don't have home court in any case.  At this point, there is no value in jockeying for position.  The best thing is to win and get the 2 seed.

I guess the only potential argument is that it might be better to face BRK in the second round rather than the Conference Finals.  There's a theoretical chance that Simmons could be back, and the later we face BRK, the better that chance is.  Additionally, maybe a healthy Timelord is more crucial against PHI/MIL than MIA/BRK?  The more time Timelord has, the better he'll be?

I don't buy that argument.  The main deal for avoiding brooklyn is not to face them PLUS two other really good teams to get to the finals.  If we face them in the conference finals so be it. 

[libermaniac]

Why doesn’t the NBA allow the teams to choose their playoff opponents? Top seed chooses first out of any of the bottom 4 teams? It would be a bit crazy in terms of precedent but would answer any of the questions we’ve been discussing.

[SparzWizard]

Why doesn’t the NBA allow the teams to choose their playoff opponents? Top seed chooses first out of any of the bottom 4 teams? It would be a bit crazy in terms of precedent but would answer any of the questions we’ve been discussing.

They'll still get to choose the weakest opponent in the bracket which could be "unfair" for others lol. And ofc, it's all about TV ratings and money lol. Gotta play those extra two games and see what crazy teams at the end of the season make it in!

[SparzWizard]

Rest the starters and play it safe.

We saw in 2010 when the C's rested they were the 4th seed. Had to take games in Cleveland and Orlando.

C's just happened to get robbed in the Finals Game 7 or an unfortunate injury that happened in Game 6.

If fully healthy and focused they should win in any arena.

[sgrogan]

So as it stands right now, BKN is in 10th and the best they could do is win two play in games and be the 8th seed, right?  So if we are 2 right now, 2 is better than 3 in any case (round 2 home court).  And 4 means MIA or BKN in the second round.  That isn't better than 2 seed is it?  My point is that now that BKN is going to be 8 at best, there is no reason to try and jockey to get to the 4 seed as was part of the original debate of "what to do".

The path of (if we are the 2 seed):

vs ATL/CLE, vs. MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

is better than (if finish 3):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIL/PHI, @ MIA/BKN

or (if finish 4):

vs. TOR/CHI, @ MIA/BKN, @ PHI/MIL

If we hold on to 2 seed, that could mean the second round game 7 in Boston vs. on the road.  Everything else is pretty much the same.  I like the first round match up of ATL/CLE over TOR/CHI but not a huge difference.  And if we hold on to the 2 seed, we get PHI or MIL but with home court for game 7.  The 2 seed is clearly the best one to get.

When you look at 3 seed vs. 4 seed, the first round is TOR or CHI, can't control, doesn't make much difference but then it is just which of the top teams you have to go through first in the second round and ECF.  Probably don't have home court in any case.  At this point, there is no value in jockeying for position.  The best thing is to win and get the 2 seed.

I guess the only potential argument is that it might be better to face BRK in the second round rather than the Conference Finals.  There's a theoretical chance that Simmons could be back, and the later we face BRK, the better that chance is.  Additionally, maybe a healthy Timelord is more crucial against PHI/MIL than MIA/BRK?  The more time Timelord has, the better he'll be?

Can't BKN still finish 8th and play in to 7th ?