Time To Panic? I Think So

[Who]

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.

Agreed. This is the most talented team in the league. If they play well, nobody can beat them.

[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.

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.

Agreed. This is the most talented team in the league. If they play well, nobody can beat them.

Do you think they can play well for 4 out of 7 games, four times in a row?  What’s the probability on that?

[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.

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.

I still think its a "switch/going thru the motions" right now thing. 

But who knows.

[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.

Agreed. This is the most talented team in the league. If they play well, nobody can beat them.

Do you think they can play well for 4 out of 7 games, four times in a row?  What’s the probability on that?

depends on what you mean by "play well".

if you mean play with effort and focus, I think the only risk of them not playing with effort and focus is round 1 if they take their opponent lightly.  I'd like to think the odds are negible on that but as we've seen all season, this team has a real issue with underestimating weaker opposition.  I think after the first round, they'll be dialed in since I figure the other 3 teams left standing will be Milwaukee, Philly and Cleveland which have shown they can't be taken lightly.

if you mean they'll be shooting a high percentage, I'd be inclined to think they won't be able to do that for 4 games of a series.  I really think there needs to be a change in offensive philosophy from chucking a high volume of 3's to a more-balanced offensive approach.  This falls on Joe to get with the program but I don't think that'll happen.   He still doesn't understand a made 2 is worth more than a missed 3.   with this in mind, it'll require the C's to get back to playing stifling defense to keep them in games when they can't hit the broad side of a barn.  that'll require good health throughout the roster in the playoffs and last year's Timelord and Smart to show up instead of what we're getting this year.

They have the potential to win it all.  question is whether they'll get their act together and do it or if they'll continue to flail around as they've done for a couple of months.

[Who]

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.

Agreed. This is the most talented team in the league. If they play well, nobody can beat them.

Do you think they can play well for 4 out of 7 games, four times in a row?  What’s the probability on that?

Don't know. It's getting close to the start of the playoffs and they haven't got their asses in gear yet. That is concerning.

But they are in the driver's seat. They choose their own destiny. They are the best. It is all in their hands.

Nobody can take it from them but they can give it away.

Can't ask for much better an opportunity than this but what they do with this opportunity we will have to wait and see.

[Who]

I do wonder if going small early in the season had a negative effect on the team.

I think back to Doc Rivers when KG got hurt and he started Scalabrine instead. Scal was the 10th-12th man. He wasn't even our best bench guy or backup big man. Doc chose the borderline rotation player / 3rd stringer instead in order to keep everyone else's role the pretty much the exact same way. The kept some level of continuity especially for the bench guys.

I look back at our early season performance and think we conceded continuity, style of play, rotations, roles in order for better immediate success. We got that success but we have had trouble getting back to the two big man lineup, two big wings with one combo guard lineup. The team still hasn't been able to put together sustained high level play with this configuartion.

Too much change??

[Neurotic Guy]

To the eye it’s pretty clear — this is not a team that looks ready to win a championship.  A complete change could happen.  But based on what we see night after night, you can’t be confident. Lots of talent, but it isn’t working.

[Birdman]

Milwaukee Bucks are team to beat in the NBA..everyone else in second

[tazzmaniac]

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.

Agreed. This is the most talented team in the league. If they play well, nobody can beat them.

Do you think they can play well for 4 out of 7 games, four times in a row?  What’s the probability on that?

Don't know. It's getting close to the start of the playoffs and they haven't got their asses in gear yet. That is concerning.

But they are in the driver's seat. They choose their own destiny. They are the best. It is all in their hands.

Nobody can take it from them but they can give it away.

Can't ask for much better an opportunity than this but what they do with this opportunity we will have to wait and see.

The best?  Why are the Celts better than the Bucks?  Seems like a pretty even matchup and the Bucks are likely to be the top seed. 

[Who]

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.

Agreed. This is the most talented team in the league. If they play well, nobody can beat them.

Do you think they can play well for 4 out of 7 games, four times in a row?  What’s the probability on that?

Don't know. It's getting close to the start of the playoffs and they haven't got their asses in gear yet. That is concerning.

But they are in the driver's seat. They choose their own destiny. They are the best. It is all in their hands.

Nobody can take it from them but they can give it away.

Can't ask for much better an opportunity than this but what they do with this opportunity we will have to wait and see.

The best?  Why are the Celts better than the Bucks?  Seems like a pretty even matchup and the Bucks are likely to be the top seed.

I thought the Bucks were better than them last year but I felt the addition of Brogdon put BOS over the top.

Tatum is at an MVP level now. Jaylen a top 20 player. The depth on this team is absolutely amazing. We have 8 above average basketball players and a couple of quality deep bench players (Muscala, Hauser, Pritchard, B Griffin) behind them. Three combo guards who are all average to above average starting guards. The quality & versatility of Horford. The defensive chops of Rob Williams. The talent here is amazing.

Milwaukee doesn't have the same depth as BOS. The top of their roster is just as good as BOS ... actually better than BOS. Their top 3/4 guys. But I like BOS advantage through the next 4-5 guys.

[celticinorlando]

The only thing that concerns me about a series with the bucks is the fact the bucks seem to play harder and defend better than the Celtics in stretches.

Boston has a better roster. More depth. It all comes down to protecting the ball and effort.

[Moranis]

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.

Agreed. This is the most talented team in the league. If they play well, nobody can beat them.

I'm confused as to why people think this team has more talent than Milwaukee at least as well as a few other teams.  Milwaukee has BY FAR the best player in the series, Holiday is right there with Brown, they have solid depth through 12 deep (Middleton, Lopez, Portis, Allen, Connaughton, Ingles, Carter, Leonard, Matthews, Beauchamp).  The Bucks are more talented than Boston.  Doesn't mean Boston can't win the series, but Milwaukee should be favored if both teams are relatively healthy. 

[Moranis]

As I've said for years, you generally need a top 5 player to win championships, but even deep playoff runs almost always require at least a top 10 player. 

There are only 4 teams in the East that arguably have a top 10 player: Milwaukee, Boston, Philadelphia, and Miami.  To be clear, I do not think Butler is a top 10 player, but he is at least arguably one so I've included the Heat.  The Sixers have a clear top 10 player and arguably another.  Milwaukee and Boston both have clear top 10 players, though Milwaukee is the only team in the East with a without question top 3 player in the world.   That is why I favor Milwaukee to come out of the East and also why no other team (except for Philly) even scares me a little bit.  Boston can ride the Tatum train because the East just doesn't have many players like Tatum in the conference (why I was really happy to see Durant and Irving go West). 

That is also why I think the West is far more up in the air as there are 9 teams that at least arguably have a top 10 player (Den, Mem, Pho, GS, LAC, Dal, LAL, NOP, POR).  Now obviously not all those teams have top 10 players because at best only 7 do (since there are at least 3 in the east), but there is a lot more top end talent in the West.  That stuff matters a lot when trying to figure out who can make a run to the championship or even just make the conference finals. 

[angryguy77]

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.

Agreed. This is the most talented team in the league. If they play well, nobody can beat them.

Do you think they can play well for 4 out of 7 games, four times in a row?  What’s the probability on that?

Don't know. It's getting close to the start of the playoffs and they haven't got their asses in gear yet. That is concerning.

But they are in the driver's seat. They choose their own destiny. They are the best. It is all in their hands.

Nobody can take it from them but they can give it away.

Can't ask for much better an opportunity than this but what they do with this opportunity we will have to wait and see.

The best?  Why are the Celts better than the Bucks?  Seems like a pretty even matchup and the Bucks are likely to be the top seed.

I thought the Bucks were better than them last year but I felt the addition of Brogdon put BOS over the top.

Tatum is at an MVP level now. Jaylen a top 20 player. The depth on this team is absolutely amazing. We have 8 above average basketball players and a couple of quality deep bench players (Muscala, Hauser, Pritchard, B Griffin) behind them. Three combo guards who are all average to above average starting guards. The quality & versatility of Horford. The defensive chops of Rob Williams. The talent here is amazing.

Milwaukee doesn't have the same depth as BOS. The top of their roster is just as good as BOS ... actually better than BOS. Their top 3/4 guys. But I like BOS advantage through the next 4-5 guys.

 
Milwaukee has been beating better teams than the rockets  without Giannis playing.

We might have more talent, but they have more mental strength and heart atm.

[dannyboy35]

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.

Agreed. This is the most talented team in the league. If they play well, nobody can beat them.

I'm confused as to why people think this team has more talent than Milwaukee at least as well as a few other teams.  Milwaukee has BY FAR the best player in the series, Holiday is right there with Brown, they have solid depth through 12 deep (Middleton, Lopez, Portis, Allen, Connaughton, Ingles, Carter, Leonard, Matthews, Beauchamp).  The Bucks are more talented than Boston.  Doesn't mean Boston can't win the series, but Milwaukee should be favored if both teams are relatively healthy.

   I’m confused as to who with the Celtics didn’t think it was worth overpaying a bit for help at the deadline. Shocked this time. But most fans agreed and thought it was ok so I’m in the minority. I’m also usually wrong so maybe Celts win it all!