I Think I Am Aboard The Tank Train Now

[SparzWizard]

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

Agreed...these were the type of games the 2022-2023 and 2024-2025 Celtics would drop. How soon we forget Games 1 and 2 against the Knicks. No sense of urgency whatsoever from the coach and lack of in-game adjustments.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

I think we have now won too many games to tank.

[Redz]

I think we have now won too many games to tank.

We could lose the rest of our games and not end up with the worst record.  Probably over a couple of teams.  So yeh.  I?d say tanking isn?t on the agenda. 

Not to mention the team is playing its butt off.

[A Future of Stevens]

I think we have now won too many games to tank.

We could lose the rest of our games and not end up with the worst record.  Probably over a couple of teams.  So yeh.  I?d say tanking isn?t on the agenda. 

Not to mention the team is playing its butt off.

The only shot we would have now, is if Brown and another important starter had injuries that kept them out a month or more. And at that point, we would need Mavericks or Hawks lottery luck to move way up with the flattened odds.

[Vermont Green]

Tank talk is over, thankfully.  One other factor is that BOS has had one of the toughest schedules in the league so far.  They are not just beating up on chumps.  On pace for 51 wins and the schedule gets easier, not what I was expecting.

The question of course is how sustainable is this.  It is starting to feel like they may be able to keep this up.  Guys like Walsh, Queta, and Hugo all seem like they can continue their level of play.  Brown, White, Pritchard, Hauser, and Simons are not doing anything they haven't done regularly in their careers so no reason to expect them to drop off.  And there may be some remaining ceiling in Garza, Minott, and Boucher.  Tillman and Scheierman not so much.  I don't expect anything much this season from the 2-way guys including Amari Williams but I see Amari as the next Jordan Walsh, eventually developing into a useful player.

And that does not even account for Tatum when/if he comes back.  How many more regular season wins will Tatum impact?  Will he be available for 15 games?  Could that mean 3 or 4 more wins over those games?  If we lose Brown for any number of games, that will bring the wins back down.  But other than Brown, this team can probably navigate some level of injuries.

[slamtheking]

I think we have now won too many games to tank.

We could lose the rest of our games and not end up with the worst record.  Probably over a couple of teams.  So yeh.  I?d say tanking isn?t on the agenda. 

Not to mention the team is playing its butt off.

The only shot we would have now, is if Brown and another important starter had injuries that kept them out a month or more. And at that point, we would need Mavericks or Hawks lottery luck to move way up with the flattened odds.

barring major injuries, C's will not only make the play-in rounds but most likely the playoffs and quite possibly home court for the first round to boot.   I didn't think they'd be playing this well and thought for sure they'd be a lottery team with that frontcourt but they're making me eat crow (and happily doing so).

[Donoghus]

This train has crashed and is burning on the bottom of a ravine.

[Roy H.]

This train has crashed and is burning on the bottom of a ravine.

Yep.  Least successful tank ever.

[Redz]

This train has crashed and is burning on the bottom of a ravine.

Yep.  Least successful tank ever.

The Patriots last season?  At least at the end!

They did get Camobell who seems like a keeper.

The Celtics never seem to do well in the lottery when they tank, so just as well.

[slamtheking]

This train has crashed and is burning on the bottom of a ravine.

Yep.  Least successful tank ever.

The Patriots last season?  At least at the end!

They did get Camobell who seems like a keeper.

The Celtics never seem to do well in the lottery when they tank, so just as well.

that's why they need another team's picks like Brooklyn     bet they're still ticked off about those picks becoming Brown and Tatum

[Phantom255x]

I didn't think this team was gonna be that good honestly. Like deep down I still thought play-in team because the bottom of the East is extra hideous, but that the team was very limited especially with a thin frontcourt.

But man. Jaylen has been sensational this year even as the #1 option, but more importantly Queta, Walsh and Hugo have made amazing strides this season and are contributing at a high level. Queta in particular has played like a starter and Hugo/Walsh have given them great minutes and some games have even won them almost on their own with crucial plays.

Crazy thing too is, White and PP haven't really played that well if you look at their seasons as a whole. If they pick it up and become even more consistent, that's great. Hauser's had good games but not as much, but again if he can find his shot a bit more consistently that's great help

They've also managed to figure it out even when Queta doesn't play or sits, but another center has to be the priority for Brad at the deadline.