Should Celtics lose their last two games?

[Witch-King]

I would love to get the 20th draft pick. But I would rather avoid Cleveland, but maybe they're the better matchup for us over Orlando, after all.

Shaq may not be back after the first round, and the Magic have one of the deepest benches in the league so with those two teams it's a game of pick your poison. Paul has historically played as good defense as humanly poosible while guarding LeBron (I'm thinking 2008 playoffs, last season, this pre-season and reg. season) to mixed results and we have the shooters to run w/ the Magic.

We can also beat Orlando in at least single games when we are fully healthy if the Christmas Day game is any indication, though Dwight Howard has vastly improved his post-game to where he can shoot all sorts of different hook-shots and layups along with the traditional emphatic Shaq-like dunks.

The Cavs, however have plenty of shooters, can play in the post (Shaq Varejao), can play iso, have tall dudes who can shoot the jay (Big Z, Hickson), have a point guard who can put up 30 if he isn't being hounded at all times, and if need be can just have Le'Bro' crab-dribble through the lane and get to the charity stripe at least 4 times a game cuz the refs will always bail him out.

The only thing more annoying than the Cavs streaky shooting are the antics by the loudspeakers/home-court fans @ Quicken Loans Arena and Anderson Varejao's flopping on the defensive end.

If we can play lock-down defense and force them into a halfcourt game then we'd have a chance because the Cavs can sometimes be lacksidasical on D...

...There is also the LeBron factor; can't let him get going and if you double-up on him he'll look for an open shooter so sometimes you just have to give him that jumper and hope it's a 'LeBrick Jaymiss'.

Regardless of how formidable of a team the Cavs are this season we have managed to beat them both at home and on the road so like the KG saying goes " Anything is [still] possible!!!!" ...

[Vermont Green]

I see only 1 scenario where we win in the second round; we play the Bucks first and have a fairly easy time of it thanks to Bogut being hurt and then we play Orlando.  Hopefully Charlotte gives it to them like Chicago did to us last year.  I think (hope?) we can beat MIL in 5 or 6 but I see 7 tough games with MIA.  With that, we have a chance to beat Orlando.

I don't think the draft position is even a consideration.  19, 20, 21, we probably end up with the same player since Danny tends to see things differently than the consensus GM's.

[fairweatherfan]

My thinking is that the 3 seed gives us a better chance to make the ECF, and the 4 seed gives us a better chance of making the Finals, if that makes sense.  We're more likely to beat Orlando in the 2nd rd, but we're more likely to beat Orlando and Cleveland back-to-back if we play Cleveland first.

[housecall]

I don't think its a big deal if they win/loss the next couple games.The Heat in their championship season loss their last 3 regular season games and loss 6 out their last 10 regular season games in 2005-06,but once they got into the playoffs they were able to get a rhythm to win it all.

[Witch-King]

The Cavs might lose alot of their confindence if we can take them in Game 1 of a playoff series because after we beat them in Cleveland on our first game of the season they then lost their second game and were 4-3 before they could get used to having Shaq in their rotation. Now 4 wins and 3 losses is still a victory in a 7 game series, however the Cavs didn't play us in each of their first 7 games, now did they? If Shaq is back just in time for a potential playoff series against us then karma might work out in our favor because last season we were definitely hurting without having Kevin on the floor.

[Mr October]

Try to win and let the standings take care of themselves. Rest anyone who needs it. The difference between 3 draft positions in the 20's isn't worth any tanking shenanigans.


Side topic: All the contenders have some element of vulnerability / nagging injuries this year. Anything can happen. 

Just win baby, just win.

[jdpapa3]

Try to win and let the standings take care of themselves. Rest anyone who needs it. The difference between 3 draft positions in the 20's isn't worth any tanking shenanigans.

I don't think the team should really pay attention to it, but it can mean the difference between Gerald Green vs Danny Granger or JR Giddens vs George Hill.

[Fafnir]

Try to win and let the standings take care of themselves. Rest anyone who needs it. The difference between 3 draft positions in the 20's isn't worth any tanking shenanigans.

I don't think the team should really pay attention to it, but it can mean the difference between Gerald Green vs Danny Granger or JR Giddens vs George Hill.

Or Robert Swift instead of Al Jefferson.

 

Too many variables to really worry about.

[Mr October]

Try to win and let the standings take care of themselves. Rest anyone who needs it. The difference between 3 draft positions in the 20's isn't worth any tanking shenanigans.

I don't think the team should really pay attention to it, but it can mean the difference between Gerald Green vs Danny Granger or JR Giddens vs George Hill.

Or Robert Swift instead of Al Jefferson.

 

Too many variables to really worry about.

Exactly. Plus if you really think you've targeted a great prospect in the draft, just trade up. It happens all the time - often just for cash in their 20s.

If the C's loose these next 2 games, fine. The silver lining is a slightly better pick. Otherwise I'd like to see these guys try to win - I have not seen enough wins this year out of this group.

[Cman]

I don't think the draft position is even a consideration.  19, 20, 21, we probably end up with the same player since Danny tends to see things differently than the consensus GM's.

Interesting take, TP. 
The one thing to keep in mind, though, is that the #19 pick may be more valuable in a trade than a #21 pick, depending on the players available (even if Danny isn't interested in said player, other GMs might be)

[Who]

I don't think it makes much of a difference either way.

No significant differences between the draft pick or the Celtics odds of success in the playoffs. Nothing, or at least not enough, to gain.

So continue as normal and try to win.

[Roy Hobbs]

I don't think the draft position is even a consideration.  19, 20, 21, we probably end up with the same player since Danny tends to see things differently than the consensus GM's.

That's usually the case, but not always.  Sometimes, the differences between mid-round picks are enormous.  For instance, wouldn't we all have preferred the 17th pick in 2005, rather than the 18th?  (There's no doubt in my mind that Danny would have taken Granger, rather than Gerald.)

[jdpapa3]

What I think will happen:

Milwaukee: W vs. ATL, L vs. Boston
Boston: W vs. Chicago, W vs. Milwaukee
Miami: W vs. Philly, W vs. Nets
Atlanta: L vs. ATL, W vs. Cleveland

This would mean the 3 seed and a matchup vs. Milwaukee.

That Milwaukee/Atlanta game should be a good game. Vegas line is Atlanta -1.

[youcanthandlethetruth113]

I"m never in favor of tanking nor am I fearful of any 1st round opponent (yes, that includes the Heat).

[nickagneta]

What I think will happen:

Milwaukee: W vs. ATL, L vs. Boston
Boston: W vs. Chicago, W vs. Milwaukee
Miami: W vs. Philly, W vs. Nets
Atlanta: L vs. ATL, W vs. Cleveland

This would mean the 3 seed and a matchup vs. Milwaukee.

That Milwaukee/Atlanta game should be a good game. Vegas line is Atlanta -1.

And if Atlanta beats Milwaukee tonight befoire anything else happens, does that change your stance as to what you would prefer?