I was wrong about this team..

[Goldstar88]

I didn?t believe in this Celtics roster. Thought they?d be play-in team, best case. Really glad to be wrong and I?m now psyched for the rest of the season.

If Tatum comes back in February/March and Brad is able to make a few tweaks to the bench by the deadline..

[Neurotic Guy]

I didn?t believe in this Celtics roster. Thought they?d be play-in team, best case. Really glad to be wrong and I?m now psyched for the rest of the season.

If Tatum comes back in February/March and Brad is able to make a few tweaks to the bench by the deadline..

I?m glad you were wrong too. But in fairness I don?t think anyone was expecting what we?ve seen so far.  Even Moranis on another thread admitted that this team with JT could represent the East. We?ll have come full circle when TennS compliments Joe for the job he?s done so far.   I?m dying to know what is in Brads head right now - who he wants to target.

[Phantom255x]

I was also wrong. I also didn't think the East was gonna be this bad and that some teams like MIL and IND (even without Haliburton) were gonna completely implode.

NY and DET feel like the only real threats in the East. Cleveland has been very iffy and Orlando is also iffy while also dealing with some injuries, and they might have lost Franz Wagner for a bit too. But if JT comes back and they add another big man, this team can contend against anyone in the East for sure. The West? Admittedly there's still 3 teams probably better but whatever.

[keevsnick]

I didn't think they were going to tank, i never understood that idea given the talent they have. But I also didn't think they'd be THIS good. Maybe 42-44 wins, right now they look like they might challenge for 50.

The emergence of Walsh, Queta, Minott and to lesser degrees the solid contributions of Scheierman/Hugo are a complete game changer. This team NEEDS cheap contributors to be able to keep together the Tatum/Brown/White core, and they've found some this year. Walsh especially looks like he may be the glue-guy 5th starter 3+D wing they desperately need.

Add one more rotation center, not even a starter just another roughly Queta level guy to split the minutes at center with him. Get JT back. Do those two things and I think they could make real noise this year. The east is so bad they may challenge for it even if those two things don't happen.

[Goldstar88]

I didn?t believe in this Celtics roster. Thought they?d be play-in team, best case. Really glad to be wrong and I?m now psyched for the rest of the season.

If Tatum comes back in February/March and Brad is able to make a few tweaks to the bench by the deadline..

I?m glad you were wrong too. But in fairness I don?t think anyone was expecting what we?ve seen so far.  Even Moranis on another thread admitted that this team with JT could represent the East. We?ll have come full circle when TennS compliments Joe for the job he?s done so far.   I?m dying to know what is in Brads head right now - who he wants to target.

Or anyone for that matter, lol. Like him or not, he is doing an incredible job with this group.

[hwangjini_1]

I didn?t believe in this Celtics roster. Thought they?d be play-in team, best case. Really glad to be wrong and I?m now psyched for the rest of the season.

If Tatum comes back in February/March and Brad is able to make a few tweaks to the bench by the deadline..

I?m glad you were wrong too. But in fairness I don?t think anyone was expecting what we?ve seen so far.  Even Moranis on another thread admitted that this team with JT could represent the East. We?ll have come full circle when TennS compliments Joe for the job he?s done so far.   I?m dying to know what is in Brads head right now - who he wants to target.

Or anyone for that matter, lol. Like him or not, he is doing an incredible job with this group.

ha, beat you to it. i complemented mazzula in the game thread a few days ago. he started mixing and matching line ups like a mad scientist at first. but that strategy let him figure whom to play. it paid off.

and this team is playing hard, they need to to win given their talent levels. i credit mazzula with that as well.

[Goldstar88]

I didn't think they were going to tank, i never understood that idea given the talent they have. But I also didn't think they'd be THIS good. Maybe 42-44 wins, right now they look like they might challenge for 50.

The emergence of Walsh, Queta, Minott and to lesser degrees the solid contributions of Scheierman/Hugo are a complete game changer. This team NEEDS cheap contributors to be able to keep together the Tatum/Brown/White core, and they've found some this year. Walsh especially looks like he may be the glue-guy 5th starter 3+D wing they desperately need.

Add one more rotation center, not even a starter just another roughly Queta level guy to split the minutes at center with him. Get JT back. Do those two things and I think they could make real noise this year. The east is so bad they may challenge for it even if those two things don't happen.

I mean, they lost so much in the offseason and Tatum was expected to miss the year. So 3 starters and two very good bench players. The guys that Brad brought in over the summer haven?t been good, minus Minott. Simons is so streaky. Garza and Boucher are borderline unplayable. Hugo is hit or miss, the other rookies are long shots at best. Like you said, Some of the other younger guys taking that next step has been the difference. Queta, Minott and especially Walsh. I don?t think anyone saw that coming.

[Neurotic Guy]

I didn't think they were going to tank, i never understood that idea given the talent they have. But I also didn't think they'd be THIS good. Maybe 42-44 wins, right now they look like they might challenge for 50.

The emergence of Walsh, Queta, Minott and to lesser degrees the solid contributions of Scheierman/Hugo are a complete game changer. This team NEEDS cheap contributors to be able to keep together the Tatum/Brown/White core, and they've found some this year. Walsh especially looks like he may be the glue-guy 5th starter 3+D wing they desperately need.

Add one more rotation center, not even a starter just another roughly Queta level guy to split the minutes at center with him. Get JT back. Do those two things and I think they could make real noise this year. The east is so bad they may challenge for it even if those two things don't happen.

I mean, they lost so much in the offseason and Tatum was expected to miss the year. So 3 starters and two very good bench players. The guys that Brad brought in over the summer haven?t been good, minus Minott. Simons is so streaky. Garza and Boucher are borderline unplayable. Hugo is hit or miss, the other rookies are long shots at best. Like you said, Some of the other younger guys taking that next step has been the difference. Queta, Minott and especially Walsh. I don?t think anyone saw that coming.

Simons has been streaky but there are times that I love having him on the floor. He a threat to score on every possession and despite not being a gifted defender he?s shown good effort.