Celtics (55-19) at Grizzlies (44-30) Game #75 3/31/25

[radiohead]

I?m kinda disappointed with Tillman. I mean it was his chance to show Joe what he could do while playing with the first unit. He just blew it.

[Roy H.]

I?m kinda disappointed with Tillman. I mean it was his chance to show Joe what he could do while playing with the first unit. He just blew it.

He just doesn't have it this year.  For whatever reason he doesn't have more to give.

[Neurotic Guy]

I?m kinda disappointed with Tillman. I mean it was his chance to show Joe what he could do while playing with the first unit. He just blew it.

He just doesn't have it this year.  For whatever reason he doesn't have more to give.

Too bad but true.  A good opportunity to contribute and he just couldn?t. I hope there?s a physical explanation that can be repaired with time and effort. He was an NBA player at 24 and seems not to be one at 26.

[Birdman]

Great win on the road

[celticinorlando]

If the Cs can stay healthy in the playoffs...they are going to be just fine.

I would sit JB as many games as possible.

[Donoghus]

If the Cs can stay healthy in the playoffs...they are going to be just fine.

I would sit JB as many games as possible.

If they stay healthy, they're repeating.

[Neurotic Guy]

If the Cs can stay healthy in the playoffs...they are going to be just fine.

I would sit JB as many games as possible.

Al Horford is a key to having a good shot v. Cleveland and OKC.  I hope it goes without saying that KP is essential.  But 'young Al' which appears to be who he is lately is really important and I think he is my priority rest guy over the next couple of weeks.  Don't overuse KP of course, and yes, get JBs knee 100%.

[SHAQATTACK]

Gotta have AI, KP , and JB ready for playoffs.  Well rested

[Vermont Green]

It certainly does seem like the path will be harder this season than last, but many teams are fading here at the end, just not OKC and to some extent CLE.  Other than CLE, it is hard to be all that worried about any team in the East.  CLE may be fading some, but I think that is still a tough series, a series we should win though.

I don't know what to think of OKC.  They just keep dominating.  Holmgren has only played 27 games, but that does not seem to be slowing them down.  They have enough depth that even if someone gets injured (someone not named Shai) it seems they can work around that.  It will be interesting to see how tough a path they have to come out of the West.  Do they just keep rolling or does playoff basketball slow them down some?

[celticinorlando]

It certainly does seem like the path will be harder this season than last, but many teams are fading here at the end, just not OKC and to some extent CLE.  Other than CLE, it is hard to be all that worried about any team in the East.  CLE may be fading some, but I think that is still a tough series, a series we should win though.

I don't know what to think of OKC.  They just keep dominating.  Holmgren has only played 27 games, but that does not seem to be slowing them down.  They have enough depth that even if someone gets injured (someone not named Shai) it seems they can work around that.  It will be interesting to see how tough a path they have to come out of the West.  Do they just keep rolling or does playoff basketball slow them down some?

Either OKC is going to roll through the west or they are a second round exit. Need to see them actually do it when the games mean something.

Becoming less and less worried about the Cavs. They will struggle on defense in the playoffs and they are a Mitchell hamstring or knee away from being out early.

Would take Boston in 5 or 6 over Cleveland. Just do no think they can guard Boston.

[SHAQATTACK]

I think OKC will choke . It took several difficult tries for Celtics to get by LeBron and Steph?s teams . 

Lakers and Warriors will give everybody out there a hard time. 

[tenn_smoothie]

I?m kinda disappointed with Tillman. I mean it was his chance to show Joe what he could do while playing with the first unit. He just blew it.

One chance in one game ? Really one chance in 8 minutes.
Real bad way to judge them.
You have to give Tillman consistent minutes over several games to give him a reasonable chance at being productive.
Look at Kornet, Pritchard, Hauser for evidence of this.
Just all of a sudden starting Tillman one night and saying, "Here you go, you got one chance, really 8 minutes to sink or swim even though you have hardly seen the floor all season" is ridiculous. Typical Mazzulla.

[Phantom255x]

I keep hearing about how OKC will have a tough time against Lebron, Curry, Doncic, Jokic, etc. but I don't really hear how other teams are stopping SGA, Williams, Chet, etc. Is the expectation that Doncic and Reaves will shut down SGA? Or that the Warriors and Lakers with no real frontcourt are gonna just shut down Chet and Hartenstein when those two are healthy which we will assume?

It's not like OKC were thoroughly beaten by Dallas last playoffs, a few of those games with Dallas were very close including a 1-point DAL victory, and two more by 3-4 points. I imagine they'll be motivated this time and a lot of their guys have another year of experience, plus they now have Hartenstein and Caruso. Giddey is a good player but was an awk fit with OKC last season too.

I think people are gonna be in for a shock when they see OKC handle the Lakers. I get it, they have Lebron and Doncic. They still don't have a real center and their defense blows. OKC and LAL play a B2B with each other soon, lets see those games.

If a team is beating OKC out West, I think it's a fully healthy Denver. I don't predict that, but they match up fairly well and Jokic is the only guy besides maybe Tatum I put on the same level as SGA. Then it's Murray/Gordon/Braun/Porter vs. Chet/Williams/Dort/Hartenstein, which I give the edge to OKC but if Murray shows up which he's capable of doing in the playoffs it's not a huge margin of difference.