I Think I Am Aboard The Tank Train Now

[Moranis]

Definitely have been better than I thought. Lots of very good wins, especially lately.  If Tatum does come back this year, they have a real chance at a deep playoff run.  No real shot at the title as the Western teams are just better, but wouldn't be all that surprised if they beat any team in the East if Tatum is even 90% of what he was.

[BringToughnessBack]

Well, I was hoping we would see this kind of production from Brown and he has truly ignited the rest of the team as well. Add Tatum and a big, and we are in the finals again. Hats off to our coach and GM too. Incredible job. I have been truly enjoying watching the games so far this year. Walsh and Hugo are also huge surprises. They look legit and for Hugo, he is going to become something special down the road. Walsh is like glue stuck to the offensive player he is guarding.

Watch Porzingis get traded and let go as well this year. Especially if they are able to snag Giannis if he is truly being traded. This could be an option for our big issue and it would cost nothing but money for remainder of year if it were too happen.

Yes, a better draft pick would have been nice, but you know what is nicer? Seeing Brown become a superstar who can lead, the thought of Tatum joining this team later towards the playoffs, and us returning to where we left off but on a higher level. I will take winning over tanking any day when the results are what we have seen so far.

[Redz]

Well, I was hoping we would see this kind of production from Brown and he has truly ignited the rest of the team as well. Add Tatum and a big, and we are in the finals again. Hats off to our coach and GM too. Incredible job. I have been truly enjoying watching the games so far this year. Walsh and Hugo are also huge surprises. They look legit and for Hugo, he is going to become something special down the road. Walsh is like glue stuck to the offensive player he is guarding.

Watch Porzingis get traded and let go as well this year. Especially if they are able to snag Giannis if he is truly being traded. This could be an option for our big issue and it would cost nothing but money for remainder of year if it were too happen.

Yes, a better draft pick would have been nice, but you know what is nicer? Seeing Brown become a superstar who can lead, the thought of Tatum joining this team later towards the playoffs, and us returning to where we left off but on a higher level. I will take winning over tanking any day when the results are what we have seen so far.

With Porzingis so unreliable and Holiday projecting that way more and more, Horford looking spent, I really think the guy they're missing the most (besides obviously Tatum) is Kornet.  Though he's been on and off the available list a lot too. 

[Neurotic Guy]

Well, I was hoping we would see this kind of production from Brown and he has truly ignited the rest of the team as well. Add Tatum and a big, and we are in the finals again. Hats off to our coach and GM too. Incredible job. I have been truly enjoying watching the games so far this year. Walsh and Hugo are also huge surprises. They look legit and for Hugo, he is going to become something special down the road. Walsh is like glue stuck to the offensive player he is guarding.

Watch Porzingis get traded and let go as well this year. Especially if they are able to snag Giannis if he is truly being traded. This could be an option for our big issue and it would cost nothing but money for remainder of year if it were too happen.

Yes, a better draft pick would have been nice, but you know what is nicer? Seeing Brown become a superstar who can lead, the thought of Tatum joining this team later towards the playoffs, and us returning to where we left off but on a higher level. I will take winning over tanking any day when the results are what we have seen so far.

Love this post!  Yes it?s a surprisingly fun ride this year so far.  The long shot fantasy of the team doing well without JT, Tatum returning in decent form by April, and Brad pulling off something to bolster the roster is still in play.   In addition to Walsh and Hugo (and JB) exceeding expectations I think we?d have to say the same for Minott. And with regard to Queta I didn?t really think what we are seeing was possible. I hoped for improvement but he?s looking like a legit starting center.  Also Baylor has been OK.   Also have to say that White and Pritchard are playing much closer to what was expected. I?m loving PP with greater confidence in the lane - duplicating some of JBs magic creating space to shoot 5-10-footers even at 6?1?.   Four guys in JB, DW, PP, and Simons who are creating their own shots, each also feeding open threes or feeding Queta at the hoop when there?s nothing there. 

[Phantom255x]

I admittedly don't have the numbers or stats to back this up, this is just purely based on the eye test. But you know something that feels notably different compared to last year when I see the team play?

They are just younger and much faster/quicker on the court.

Yes the C's 1000% lost a lot of talent in Porzingis/Horford/Jrue, that's undeniable and they still haven't replaced them all. But lets also be honest, 2024 was an amazing ride but the C's still won the Finals with Porzingis missing 70% of the playoff run, and frankly even in 2025 Horford and Jrue just seemed to get noticeably slower (due to age) and Porzingis was still unreliable from a health standpoint.

Knock on wood, so far this team has mostly stayed healthy and durable including Jaylen, and yeah the pace of play is just so much faster compared to last year and I think that's also contributing to the hustle and winning plays. The C's offense is also rated highly in a lot of areas and scoring a lot, which is another byproduct of it.

They are quick in transition, move up and down the court fast and are able to mostly keep up on the defensive end even if the other team tries to "outrun" them or use their young athleticism.

[Roy H.]

I admittedly don't have the numbers or stats to back this up, this is just purely based on the eye test. But you know something that feels notably different compared to last year when I see the team play?

They are just younger and much faster/quicker on the court.

Yes the C's 1000% lost a lot of talent in Porzingis/Horford/Jrue, that's undeniable and they still haven't replaced them all. But lets also be honest, 2024 was an amazing ride but the C's still won the Finals with Porzingis missing 70% of the playoff run, and frankly even in 2025 Horford and Jrue just seemed to get noticeably slower (due to age) and Porzingis was still unreliable from a health standpoint.

Knock on wood, so far this team has mostly stayed healthy and durable including Jaylen, and yeah the pace of play is just so much faster compared to last year and I think that's also contributing to the hustle and winning plays. The C's offense is also rated highly in a lot of areas and scoring a lot, which is another byproduct of it.

They are quick in transition, move up and down the court fast and are able to mostly keep up on the defensive end even if the other team tries to "outrun" them or use their young athleticism.

Weirdly, we're playing at the exact same pace as last year.  95.7 possessions per 48 minutes.  Both teams rank(ed)30th in the NBA.

[Celtics2021]

I admittedly don't have the numbers or stats to back this up, this is just purely based on the eye test. But you know something that feels notably different compared to last year when I see the team play?

They are just younger and much faster/quicker on the court.

Yes the C's 1000% lost a lot of talent in Porzingis/Horford/Jrue, that's undeniable and they still haven't replaced them all. But lets also be honest, 2024 was an amazing ride but the C's still won the Finals with Porzingis missing 70% of the playoff run, and frankly even in 2025 Horford and Jrue just seemed to get noticeably slower (due to age) and Porzingis was still unreliable from a health standpoint.

Knock on wood, so far this team has mostly stayed healthy and durable including Jaylen, and yeah the pace of play is just so much faster compared to last year and I think that's also contributing to the hustle and winning plays. The C's offense is also rated highly in a lot of areas and scoring a lot, which is another byproduct of it.

They are quick in transition, move up and down the court fast and are able to mostly keep up on the defensive end even if the other team tries to "outrun" them or use their young athleticism.

Weirdly, we're playing at the exact same pace as last year.  95.7 possessions per 48 minutes.  Both teams rank(ed)30th in the NBA.

I think that might because of rebounding.  We are a good offensive rebounding time, so we keep our possessions alive longer.  But we are a terrible defensive rebounding team, so opponents keep their possessions alive too.  So despite our running, there are fewer possessions.  Last year our rebounding numbers were inverted, which would have created more possessions, but our deliberate play slowed our pace.

[Phantom255x]

I admittedly don't have the numbers or stats to back this up, this is just purely based on the eye test. But you know something that feels notably different compared to last year when I see the team play?

They are just younger and much faster/quicker on the court.

Yes the C's 1000% lost a lot of talent in Porzingis/Horford/Jrue, that's undeniable and they still haven't replaced them all. But lets also be honest, 2024 was an amazing ride but the C's still won the Finals with Porzingis missing 70% of the playoff run, and frankly even in 2025 Horford and Jrue just seemed to get noticeably slower (due to age) and Porzingis was still unreliable from a health standpoint.

Knock on wood, so far this team has mostly stayed healthy and durable including Jaylen, and yeah the pace of play is just so much faster compared to last year and I think that's also contributing to the hustle and winning plays. The C's offense is also rated highly in a lot of areas and scoring a lot, which is another byproduct of it.

They are quick in transition, move up and down the court fast and are able to mostly keep up on the defensive end even if the other team tries to "outrun" them or use their young athleticism.

Weirdly, we're playing at the exact same pace as last year.  95.7 possessions per 48 minutes.  Both teams rank(ed)30th in the NBA.

I think that might because of rebounding.  We are a good offensive rebounding time, so we keep our possessions alive longer.  But we are a terrible defensive rebounding team, so opponents keep their possessions alive too.  So despite our running, there are fewer possessions.  Last year our rebounding numbers were inverted, which would have created more possessions, but our deliberate play slowed our pace.

Yeah like I said maybe the stats don't support it entirely, but just from the eye test it feels like they are playing faster and hustling more for everything. The rebounding issues are due to roster construction (a very thin frontcourt) but the effort is there even if the production isn't.

Last year I hate to say it but it felt like at times other teams would often just run by us or look more energetic. Maybe some of that was championship hangover but it also felt like Jrue/Horford lost another step and were slower. Porzingis also with the illness in the 2nd half.

There's also an infusion of youth now in Walsh, Minott, Hugo, Queta, etc.

[Who]

I was listening to a podcast about the Raptors success. They were talking about the team's pace. Apparently, the Raptors are (1) way out in front of everyone in terms of early offense / fast break points but are (2) only middle of the pack in terms of pace.

This is because when they don't have the early offensive opportunities they pull it back out and are slow and methodical in the halfcourt.

So the pace stat is deceptive for them.

Maybe something like that is going on for the Celtics as well.

[ozgod]

[SHAQATTACK]

Full steam ahead

[SparzWizard]

Get blown out in Milwaukee without Giannis. Time to fire 'er up!

[Kernewek]

Get blown out in Milwaukee without Giannis. Time to fire 'er up!

A 'vintage' 2010s Celtics performance.

[Neurotic Guy]

Get blown out in Milwaukee without Giannis. Time to fire 'er up!

A 'vintage' 2010s Celtics performance.

If they find .500 in the next 5 games Im on board, but I doubt that?s going to happen.  Cs looked great in the first half yesterday and then wheels came off (and stayed off).  Disappointing loss but that?s all it was.

[slamtheking]

Get blown out in Milwaukee without Giannis. Time to fire 'er up!

A 'vintage' 2010s Celtics performance.

If they find .500 in the next 5 games Im on board, but I doubt that?s going to happen.  Cs looked great in the first half yesterday and then wheels came off (and stayed off).  Disappointing loss but that?s all it was.

it's reminiscent of more recent Celtics' play than 2010.  Joe's philosophy of living and dying by the 3 was on full display this game.  Second half was a perfect example of needing to have at least a Plan B for when distance shots are not falling so that the team can still put some points on the board.  There was no cutting to the basket, no screening to get someone open for an easy 2 pointer, no real ball pressure to try to get a steal for a fastbreak basket.  just a lot of quick chucking of 3's. 

while Joe has done a good job of getting this team to play hard, he still needs to learn how to make in-game adjustments to get the team past rough patches in games.

was actually having flashbacks to last year's playoffs against the Knicks while watching Mil make everything as Boston was missing everything