Atlantic Division Title and #3 Seed is Back in Play for the Celtics

[kozlodoev]

Even if Boston wins the Atlantic, I don't think it will catch Indiana for the 3rd seed and end up as the 4th seed.

wouldn't we automatically get the 3rd seed for winning the division?

No. Division winners are only guaranteed a top four seeds, but this means that a second-placed team with better record will knock them off the third seed.

[nickagneta]

Look's like Philly is going down to Milwaukee and will now be tied in the loss column with Boston.

So much for that much discussed Philadelphia youth, athleticism and superiority over Boston.

[OhioGreen]

Wow! Guess this is a feel good thread, but we did just win four in a row against .500 or below opponents, three of which we played at home. Barely beat three of them.....and now we're thinking 3rd seed in the East? Wow!

And now Doc is gonna start playing the oldtimers 40 min a game, every game!(exagerated, I know!). But how long do we expect them to last at that rate!  Will they be corpses by the playoffs?

While it's true they have played much better because of their drastically increased minutes lately, let's see how they fare in the next 5 games, four of which are against good teams with winning records, and also some on the road! If they go a good 4-1 or 5-0, then I'll be right there with you guys throwing a playoff party!

You want to help me out here with your claim of drastically increased minutes of late?

They all played big minutes yesterday but Ray didn't play one of the last three games and only averaged 33 MPG in the other two. Besides yesterday, since the All-Star break, Pierce has averaged 34 MPG a minute below his regular season average. KG has averaged 30.3 MPG or half a minute less than his season  average. And Rondo has averaged 33 MPG or 4 MPG less than his season average.

They played big minutes against a team who won 10 of their previous 13 games, against a team that is a division rival, and against a team who is their nearest large rival fighting for playoff seeding against them with. The game went into overtime and there wasn't a game the day before of after the game.

No big deal about their minutes for one game. Your taking something that isn't isn't a big deal and turning it into something that is even though the evidence points to the contrary.

I didn't actually go over the last couple of games minute by minute, but was making the conclusion that because Doc has dropped his rotation from ten or eleven, to nine(and AB and KD the last game didn't even get ten minutes), that the big threes minutes have to be going up considerably in the long run. After all, in a fifty-three minute game, they all just played close to 45 minutes. If they have to play that many minutes to get by a .500 team, then how many minutes are they gonna have to play when we start playing some good teams!? Just sayin' they can't keep that up!  It's the only way they can compete this year, but after the next eleven games, I believe it will be painfully obvious. 3-8 looks about right!  Unless Danny changes the scenery!!!!!!!!!

[pearljammer10]

With Philly loss tonight, and now them tied with us in the loss column, i really dont see the goal of winning the division that far fetched... Especially with Philly's lack of a veteran big man that can score and be a go to guy with the game on the line.

[pearljammer10]

Philly is one solid player away from being a legit contender in my eyes however. If they could get a go to post guy at the 4 slot, they would be right up there with Miami and Chicago.

[Q_FBE]

Philly is one solid player away from being a legit contender in my eyes however. If they could get a go to post guy at the 4 slot, they would be right up there with Miami and Chicago.

Elton Brand is not a go to guy? I think you mean Center man.

It is time to make a charge up the leaderboard (a Tiger-esque charge, or for you old schoolers like me, Arnold Palmer-esque charge).

This is supposed to be a feel good thread! March Madness, Celtic style. Do-di-doo-dooo-doooohhhh!!!!!



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Bahby!

[Yogi]

They miss Hawes who will return next week.  With Brand playing better, they will be fine.

[Moranis]

They miss Hawes who will return next week.  With Brand playing better, they will be fine.

12-2 with Hawes.  10-15 without Hawes.

I'd say he is rather important to the success of their team.

[vinnie]

While this is fun to discuss, I think we ought to take a look at where the Celts stand after the upcoming west coast trip.

[nickagneta]

They miss Hawes who will return next week.  With Brand playing better, they will be fine.

12-2 with Hawes.  10-15 without Hawes.

I'd say he is rather important to the success of their team.

Hawes will be pretty limited for a while though once he does return.

“If he doesn’t have any setbacks, maybe he can play five minutes a quarter on the (14th at Indiana),” Collins said.

Doctors have said Hawes, who was projected to miss at least two weeks after he had his protective boot removed Feb. 27, cannot play in back-to-backs for the first 10 days and would be limited to five-minute stretches.

“For us to get him back for 22 minutes a game, that would be a huge plus for our team,” Collins said.

Also, that 12-2 is rather misleading here is who the Sixers played when Hawes played and their current rnk in the league according to winning percentage:

Portland -18th
Phoenix -20th
Utah - 22nd
Golden State -21st
New Orleans -28th
Detroit - 25th
Toronto - 24th
Indiana -6th
Sacramento -27th
Washington -29th
Washington -29th
Milwaukee -22nd

Yeah, the beginning of the year was an complete and utter fluff schedule. And let's remember something about Hawes, this is the first year he has statistically rebounded more than 7.1 RPG or shot above 47% from the field. He is notoriously known for having a great basketball body without the drive or enthusiasm to use it. His entire "breakout" could be due to nothing more than the easiest schedule any team in the league had over the first 13 games of the season.

[indeedproceed]

Celtics SOS so far: .482

Philly SOS so far: .487

I don't think 'fluff schedule' is a card we wanna play.

[nickagneta]

All I was saying is that Philly had a fluff schedule when Hawes played.

I think both teams have tough schedules the rest of the way.

[indeedproceed]

All I was saying is that Philly had a fluff schedule when Hawes played.

I think both teams have tough schedules the rest of the way.

But then do the 'teams beaten' test for the C's as well.

It ain't pretty. IIRC the only teams currently +.500 are what..Magic (2x), Indy (2x)? Am I missing one?

[rickyfan3.0...]

Our division is awful. It has been really bad for so long.

[nickagneta]

All I was saying is that Philly had a fluff schedule when Hawes played.

I think both teams have tough schedules the rest of the way.

But then do the 'teams beaten' test for the C's as well.

It ain't pretty. IIRC the only teams currently +.500 are what..Magic (2x), Indy (2x)? Am I missing one?

What I am trying to relate is that Hawes may not be as important to that team as some are saying as when he played they may have played the easiest schedule in the league.

Overall, I agree both teams had the easiest part of their schedule in the beginning of the season and the toughest part on the back end. But I still think that Boston comes through their tougher part of the schedule better because I don't think Philly's youth and athleticism is going to make up for the fact that they don't have elite talent or the experience needed to pull this out.