Boston teetering to 3rd seed in playoffs?

[Hoops]

I haven't seen much discussion about this on CelticsBlog, but Hollinger points out today that we're in jeopardy of falling to the 3rd seed in the East:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090312

Personally, I don't think it will happen. And if it does, I'm not that concerned. If anything, this injury-plagues stretch will just make us stronger. Assuming we get past the injury problems (not a sure thing), I think the playoffs will shake out like we expect - an epic battle between Boston vs. Cleveland in the conference finals.

[CelticsWhat35]

I haven't seen much discussion about this on CelticsBlog, but Hollinger points out today that we're in jeopardy of falling to the 3rd seed in the East:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090312

Personally, I don't think it will happen. And if it does, I'm not that concerned. If anything, this injury-plagues stretch will just make us stronger. Assuming we get past the injury problems (not a sure thing), I think the playoffs will shake out like we expect - an epic battle between Boston vs. Cleveland in the conference finals.

I really don't see a big difference between the 2nd and 3rd seed.  I think we match up well against the Magic, and they haven't shown a huge difference between home and away records.  Sure, I'd prefer HCA against any team, but I'm confident that a healthy Celtics team would take care of the Magic in 5 games in the playoffs, with or without HCA.

[Cman]

I haven't seen much discussion about this on CelticsBlog, but Hollinger points out today that we're in jeopardy of falling to the 3rd seed in the East:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090312

Personally, I don't think it will happen. And if it does, I'm not that concerned. If anything, this injury-plagues stretch will just make us stronger. Assuming we get past the injury problems (not a sure thing), I think the playoffs will shake out like we expect - an epic battle between Boston vs. Cleveland in the conference finals.

I really don't see a big difference between the 2nd and 3rd seed.  I think we match up well against the Magic, and they haven't shown a huge difference between home and away records.  Sure, I'd prefer HCA against any team, but I'm confident that a healthy Celtics team would take care of the Magic in 5 games in the playoffs, with or without HCA.

Yes, I tend to agree.  It would be great to get HCA against Cleveland and the Lakers, because the refs always seem to favor those teams.  But that is slipping away quickly, and as for other teams, I am just not that concerned. 

I am way more concerned about how Doc overplays RA and PP.  I know this topic has been beaten to death, but it is so important, that it bears repeating often.

[Lucky17]

3rd seed might be a blessing in disguise, if it means we don't draw Detroit (who's virtually running even with Philly right now) in the 1st round.

Not because I'm afraid of matching up against Detroit, but because the Pistons have some strange kind of psychological dominance over Orlando. In the head-to-head matchup since Howard joined the league, the Pistons have won about 75% of the games played between the two teams. Would love to see the Pistons take out the Magic in the 1st round.

[Reggie's Ghost]

3rd seed might be a blessing in disguise, if it means we don't draw Detroit (who's virtually running even with Philly right now) in the 1st round.

Not because I'm afraid of matching up against Detroit, but because the Pistons have some strange kind of psychological dominance over Orlando. In the head-to-head matchup since Howard joined the league, the Pistons have won about 75% of the games played between the two teams. Would love to see the Pistons take out the Magic in the 1st round.

Honestly, I'd rather see either of those two teams in the 1st round than the Hawks, but that's just me...

[Lucky17]

Honestly, I'd rather see either of those two teams in the 1st round than the Hawks, but that's just me...

I think a Hawks-Heat matchup in the 1st round is all but guaranteed. Just a question of who gets HCA.

[KCattheStripe]

I would much rather play the Magic in the second round then the Hawks.

[nickagneta]

I haven't seen much discussion about this on CelticsBlog, but Hollinger points out today that we're in jeopardy of falling to the 3rd seed in the East:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090312

Personally, I don't think it will happen. And if it does, I'm not that concerned. If anything, this injury-plagues stretch will just make us stronger. Assuming we get past the injury problems (not a sure thing), I think the playoffs will shake out like we expect - an epic battle between Boston vs. Cleveland in the conference finals.

I really don't see a big difference between the 2nd and 3rd seed.  I think we match up well against the Magic, and they haven't shown a huge difference between home and away records.  Sure, I'd prefer HCA against any team, but I'm confident that a healthy Celtics team would take care of the Magic in 5 games in the playoffs, with or without HCA.

Save me time writing something and you get a TP. I would have written the exact thing word for word.

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

what an original thought, a team in 2nd place could slip to 3rd.....or not

[Carhole]

Who cares, home court means nothing against the magic, a healthy C's teams beats the Magic in 5 or 6 rather easily.

Get healthy; get playing well; and get ready to steal one in cleveland and la

[Celtic]

The Magic do a lot of things, intimidating me (as a Celtic's fan) in the playoffs, in a seven game series with them having homecourt advantage, isn't one of them.

[cordobes]

It's amazing that we're such a vastly superior team, that will beat the Magic with or without HCA so easily, and yet we're talking about the possibility they end the regular season with a better record.

Since when the gap is so wide? It's not like we've been dominating them in reg. season games in the last 2 years...

[ManUp]

It's amazing that we're such a vastly superior team, that will beat the Magic with or without HCA so easily, and yet we're talking about the possibility they end the regular season with a better record.

Since when the gap is so wide? It's not like we've been dominating them in reg. season games in the last 2 years...

For them  to beat us D.Howard has to be dominate. If we're fully healthy I just can't see that happening. His Shaq-lite offense doesn't work so well on KP. When teams don't have to double their offense becomes a bit more predictable. Plus add in the fact that Nelson isn't there, I like our chances.

[CelticsWhat35]

It's amazing that we're such a vastly superior team, that will beat the Magic with or without HCA so easily, and yet we're talking about the possibility they end the regular season with a better record.

Since when the gap is so wide? It's not like we've been dominating them in reg. season games in the last 2 years...

While regular season games don't mean a whole lot once the playoffs start, since you brought it up, I'd say a 19 point win at home, a 10 point win on the road, and a narrow defeat without two starters and 2 other rotation players is pretty good.  And the Pistons showed the world last year that the Magic just aren't built for the playoffs.

I'm not saying it's set in stone that we'd wipe the floor with them in the playoffs, but I feel good about our chances.

[RebusRankin]

We're two up in the win column on them, own the season series so far and have a better conference record. Not worried about dropping to third.