Thank God that's over...on to a hopefully easy stretch

[theswitch]

Pacers, Mavs, Bulls, Pacers, Thunder. 5 teams that I wouldn't be shocked to see in the conference finals, and 2-3 that I definitely expect to see there. We should have won a game or two in that stretch for sure, but we kept losing close games at the end (save the Indy games).

Now, our next 9:
Toronto
Phoenix
@ Washington
Orlando
@ Orlando
Indiana
Cleveland
@ Cleveland
Toronto

Sure, there are a couple back-to-backs in there, but objectively, this team SHOULD go 7-2 or 6-3 in that stretch, if not 8-1, to bring us back to at least .500 and possibly a winning record. Even if we continue to only beat non-playoff teams and lose to Orlando twice and Indiana once, we are back in it.

This could be a very telling stretch; if we continue to stumble, then this season is all but over, but if we come out and gain some momentum, go 7-2 and enter 2/3 with a Knicks game and a 11-10 record, then we'll be back in business. Pierce, KG and company will be in shape and have their legs under them, the bench will be more cohesive, and hopefully some confidence and swagger will be restored. They have to take care of business, but this is a really easy stretch.

[vinnie]

I just don't get this logic. How are they back in business by betting crappy teams? We already know they can do that.  problem is they can't beat good teams, and beating crap teams only is not a recipe for success. Now if they beat Orlando and the knicks and the Pacers, I will find some optimism.

[greenpride32]

I am wondering which of those 5 games were close that we should have won.  We didn't deserve to win any of those games.  If we caught up at the end for a miracle comebackup it would have been a stolen win. 

[Tgro]

I think beating some crappy teams after that stretch we just had will give us some confidence back and we'll be in better physical shape and a more cohesive team when we face the elite teams once again. At this point, even the easy games aren't gimmees. We're going to have to play better ball to even win those. But I think its coming at just the right time for us. We play like we did tonight minus the turnovers against a bad team, we win. A few wins have the potential to snowball, just like the loses did.

[EJPLAYA]

Got news for you... WE are the easy stretch.

[PosImpos]

I expect them to go 6-3 or maybe 7-2 in that stretch.  Split games with Cavs and Magic, maybe beat Indy, finally, and defeat the rest.

If they can't win more than 5 games in this stretch, then we'll know there's really something wrong.

[Celtics18]

I just don't get this logic. How are they back in business by betting crappy teams? We already know they can do that.  problem is they can't beat good teams, and beating crap teams only is not a recipe for success. Now if they beat Orlando and the knicks and the Pacers, I will find some optimism.

Just make the playoffs.  Just make the playoffs. 

[vinnie]

I just don't get this logic. How are they back in business by betting crappy teams? We already know they can do that.  problem is they can't beat good teams, and beating crap teams only is not a recipe for success. Now if they beat Orlando and the knicks and the Pacers, I will find some optimism.

Just make the playoffs.  Just make the playoffs. 

Yep. Just make the playoffs and get knocked out in the first round.

[Celtics18]

I just don't get this logic. How are they back in business by betting crappy teams? We already know they can do that.  problem is they can't beat good teams, and beating crap teams only is not a recipe for success. Now if they beat Orlando and the knicks and the Pacers, I will find some optimism.

Just make the playoffs.  Just make the playoffs. 

Yep. Just make the playoffs and get knocked out in the first round.

Possibly.  Or . . .  maybe not. 

[vinnie]

I just don't get this logic. How are they back in business by betting crappy teams? We already know they can do that.  problem is they can't beat good teams, and beating crap teams only is not a recipe for success. Now if they beat Orlando and the knicks and the Pacers, I will find some optimism.

Just make the playoffs.  Just make the playoffs. 

Yep. Just make the playoffs and get knocked out in the first round.

Possibly.  Or . . .  maybe not. 

If they get the 7th or 8th seed, they will be fortunate to win one playoff game.

[Celtics18]

I just don't get this logic. How are they back in business by betting crappy teams? We already know they can do that.  problem is they can't beat good teams, and beating crap teams only is not a recipe for success. Now if they beat Orlando and the knicks and the Pacers, I will find some optimism.

Just make the playoffs.  Just make the playoffs. 

Yep. Just make the playoffs and get knocked out in the first round.

Possibly.  Or . . .  maybe not. 

If they get the 7th or 8th seed, they will be fortunate to win one playoff game.

I love your outlook.

[vinnie]

I just don't get this logic. How are they back in business by betting crappy teams? We already know they can do that.  problem is they can't beat good teams, and beating crap teams only is not a recipe for success. Now if they beat Orlando and the knicks and the Pacers, I will find some optimism.

Just make the playoffs.  Just make the playoffs. 

Yep. Just make the playoffs and get knocked out in the first round.

Possibly.  Or . . .  maybe not. 

If they get the 7th or 8th seed, they will be fortunate to win one playoff game.

I love your outlook.

I just call them as I see them. There are a lot of teams in the NBA that have passed the Celts this year. I don't like it, but it is true.

[Celtics18]

I just don't get this logic. How are they back in business by betting crappy teams? We already know they can do that.  problem is they can't beat good teams, and beating crap teams only is not a recipe for success. Now if they beat Orlando and the knicks and the Pacers, I will find some optimism.

Just make the playoffs.  Just make the playoffs. 

Yep. Just make the playoffs and get knocked out in the first round.

Possibly.  Or . . .  maybe not. 

If they get the 7th or 8th seed, they will be fortunate to win one playoff game.

I love your outlook.

I just call them as I see them. There are a lot of teams in the NBA that have passed the Celts this year. I don't like it, but it is true.

That's true right now, but I saw a lot of things in that game that gave me more reasons for hope than I've seen yet.  Not the least of those things, being the play of Paul Pierce.  He's too competitive a guy and too smart and talented a basketball player to not figure out how to use what he's got left physically to be an effective player on both ends of the floor.

I think we'll get better as the season progresses.  I know that goes against conventional logic with the compressed season, but this team of old dogs is going to take awhile to find their sea legs.  You may not like that, and you might think that makes them bums, but I think it's relatively realistic for this team to be playing their best ball come playoff time and at least give some of these young whippersnappers a scare, if not an upset. 

 

[ManUp]

I expect them to go 6-3 or maybe 7-2 in that stretch.  Split games with Cavs and Magic, maybe beat Indy, finally, and defeat the rest.

If they can't win more than 5 games in this stretch, then we'll know there's really something wrong.

Totally agree with that last sentence.