Time To Panic? I Think So

[slamtheking]

Celtics look below average at this point in the season. First round games could be vs the Knicks (who they can't seem to figure out), the Heat (who will give them all they want) or the Nets (the team Boston would have the best chance to beat).

Then you get the Sixers and then the Bucks. Boston has shown very little since the start of 2023 that tells me they can survive that. They are so soft mentally and play absolute dog crap defense.

I do not want to hear about turning it on when the playoffs start because they do not look like a team capable of doing that. 13 games left and they still are turning it over a ton and get killed on the boards.

I do not like the effort this team puts forth. They are the reverse of last year.

this.  the team isn't coming together and improving their weaknesses as they did last season.  this year they're continuing to make the same mistakes and learning to make new ones both on the court and the sidelines with Joe.  I've gone from thinking they'll be the title favorites to seriously wondering if they'll get out of the second round.

after the Muscala trade, I was thinking this team was the favorite AND that next year they'll be even more stacked with everyone back, Gallo available and Grant resigned to a fair deal with the chance to solidify the bench a bit.  Now, I'm starting to think Brad needs to consider moving more pieces to get people who are more consistent and can stay healthy.  hope they turn this around soon so I can stop thinking thoughts of shipping out Smart and Timelord for a good, reliable PF/C that stays healthy and rebounds.

[Phantom255x]

Celtics look below average at this point in the season. First round games could be vs the Knicks (who they can't seem to figure out), the Heat (who will give them all they want) or the Nets (the team Boston would have the best chance to beat).

Then you get the Sixers and then the Bucks. Boston has shown very little since the start of 2023 that tells me they can survive that. They are so soft mentally and play absolute dog crap defense.

I do not want to hear about turning it on when the playoffs start because they do not look like a team capable of doing that. 13 games left and they still are turning it over a ton and get killed on the boards.

I do not like the effort this team puts forth. They are the reverse of last year.

this.  the team isn't coming together and improving their weaknesses as they did last season.  this year they're continuing to make the same mistakes and learning to make new ones both on the court and the sidelines with Joe.  I've gone from thinking they'll be the title favorites to seriously wondering if they'll get out of the second round.

after the Muscala trade, I was thinking this team was the favorite AND that next year they'll be even more stacked with everyone back, Gallo available and Grant resigned to a fair deal with the chance to solidify the bench a bit.  Now, I'm starting to think Brad needs to consider moving more pieces to get people who are more consistent and can stay healthy.  hope they turn this around soon so I can stop thinking thoughts of shipping out Smart and Timelord for a good, reliable PF/C that stays healthy and rebounds.

Yeah right now I don't even think ECF is guaranteed.

On last season's team, it was also pretty clear that Ime had all the rotations down and depth rotations down after February and we seemed to just smooth sail the rest of the season and continued to improve + win games. And the guys seemed to understand their roles and buy into them.

Yet right now, with just 12-13 games to go, it seems like Mazzulla is clueless as to what the rotations look like. They make ZERO sense. And I know people, including the coach, will say it's about matchups but is it? It just feels to me at times he's desperately putting guys in hoping something works but has no clue when to adjust or how. The frontcourt rotations yesterday on our non-Horford Bigs felt random and as if there was no real plan.

I know we're missing Timelord but if we look that clueless this late into the season with our rotations even accounting for injuries, then yikes!

[Moranis]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

[celticinorlando]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

Knicks concern me. Not worried about the Sixers. Boston's biggest threat is Boston. If they play up to their ability they win the championship. But they just don't do that enough.

[Donoghus]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

This.

[Phantom255x]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

Right now, I think MIL beats us in 5, and a team like NYK/CLE beats us in 6 or 7.

Funny enough though I'm not worried about PHI. I have to see it to believe it, but even without HCA I think we beat them in a series. We match up so well against them for some reason and we seem to be in their heads still

[radiohead]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

This.

Slightly worried with NY and Cleveland, but i think HCA will help us through. Milwaukee is the problem. If we can get past them, I think we can match up fairly well against any Western team.

[celticinorlando]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

This.

Slightly worried with NY and Cleveland, but i think HCA will help us through. Milwaukee is the problem. If we can get past them, I think we can match up fairly well against any Western team.

Feel like if Boston plays the way they can they are better than the Bucks. That series to be is all about effort and not turning the ball over.

[Donoghus]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

This.

Slightly worried with NY and Cleveland, but i think HCA will help us through. Milwaukee is the problem. If we can get past them, I think we can match up fairly well against any Western team.

I've said it before; whoever wins BOS/MIL is winning the title.

[slamtheking]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

actually, I think the only team that can beat Boston is Boston.  if we're healthy and focussed, we can beat anyone.  thing is, health and focus/effort are serious concerns with this team.

[td450]

Robert Williams is a factor. Marcus Smart is a factor. But, I think a significant part of this is how Tatum is playing. He's been pretty uneven for several weeks now.

[angryguy77]

We have more than enough talent t win, but the negatives causing a derailment are:

Bad HC
Tatum not being the leader he needs to be. I could be wrong on this, but if he's going to be the guy, then he's got to hold himself and others accountable. I have a hard time believing Larry, Jordan, or Kobe would be ok with teammates not showing up to play time and time again. I love the kid's game, but he's got to take control.
The rest of the team not having a killer instinct.
Kind of starting to feel they're simply lazy at this point.

Last night, they showed the can get back into games when the 3's are not falling. The problem is, as soon as they got it close, they chucked a few bad 3's or got sloppy.

[scaryjerry]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

As things are now, we aren’t even close to Milwaukee and imo would have no shot at winning a series against them.
Knicks, 76ers, Heat, Cavs are all series that would go 7 and would be 50/50 whether or not we win

[Surferdad]

Robert Williams is a factor. Marcus Smart is a factor. But, I think a significant part of this is how Tatum is playing. He's been pretty uneven for several weeks now.

This is the most important factor. Are there other issues? Yes, but I still believe this is a team of destiny if everyone is healthy. Since that doesn't seem to be the case for our starting center, then no chip this year. Sorry. So the answer to the OP is NO, it's not time to panic. If you panic, you may end up even more lost in the woods.

[Roy H.]

I still think the only team that can beat Boston in the East is Milwaukee.  Slightly worried about Philly, but not anyone else.

This.

Slightly worried with NY and Cleveland, but i think HCA will help us through. Milwaukee is the problem. If we can get past them, I think we can match up fairly well against any Western team.

I've said it before; whoever wins BOS/MIL is winning the title.

I’m losing faith that there will be a Boston / Milwaukee.  I won’t be even a little surprised if we lose in the first round.