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

[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?

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.

Well that's a horse of a different color, come on in! come on in!

[Assassin70]

All I can say is

[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.

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.

You may be right, but without Hawes Philly has started Lavoy Allen (a 6'9" rookie), Tony Battie (yeah he is still in the league), and Nikola Vucevic (another rookie).  Hawes is a significant upgrade over those three, which then in turn strengthens their bench a great deal by allowing those three to play more to their strengths.

[CelticG1]

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.

I agree.

I think its about comparing the Sixers to themselves and not believing that a team like that can persevere. And im sorry but guys like KG,  Pierce, Ray, and Rondo have a better track record than Spencer Freaking Hawes.

[Moranis]

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.

I agree.

I think its about comparing the Sixers to themselves and not believing that a team like that can persevere. And im sorry but guys like KG,  Pierce, Ray, and Rondo have a better track record than Spencer Freaking Hawes.

Bird, McHale, Johnson, and Parish have a better track record as well. 

[BballTim]

  The #3 seed has always been in play. The people who were telling you we had no hope of catching the 76ers when we still had 50+ games in the season were being ridiculous.

[CelticG1]

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.

I agree.

I think its about comparing the Sixers to themselves and not believing that a team like that can persevere. And im sorry but guys like KG,  Pierce, Ray, and Rondo have a better track record than Spencer Freaking Hawes.

Bird, McHale, Johnson, and Parish have a better track record as well. 

Yeah but didn't they retire recently? I don't think they are playing still

[indeedproceed]

  The #3 seed has always been in play. The people who were telling you we had no hope of catching the 76ers when we still had 50+ games in the season were being ridiculous.

I agree with this, and I don't think they'll take the division. But to say there is 'no chance' is a bit overboard. mathematically there is a chance, so there's a chance.

[BballTim]

  The #3 seed has always been in play. The people who were telling you we had no hope of catching the 76ers when we still had 50+ games in the season were being ridiculous.

I agree with this, and I don't think they'll take the division. But to say there is 'no chance' is a bit overboard. mathematically there is a chance, so there's a chance.

  We're tied in the loss column with 30+ or so games to play. "mathematically there is a chance, so there's a chance" is how I'd describe the chance Charlotte gets a top three seed in the playoffs this year.

[indeedproceed]

  The #3 seed has always been in play. The people who were telling you we had no hope of catching the 76ers when we still had 50+ games in the season were being ridiculous.

I agree with this, and I don't think they'll take the division. But to say there is 'no chance' is a bit overboard. mathematically there is a chance, so there's a chance.

  We're tied in the loss column with 30+ or so games to play. "mathematically there is a chance, so there's a chance" is how I'd describe the chance Charlotte gets a top three seed in the playoffs this year.

You'd also be accurate.

[Celtics18]

We beat them tomorrow night and we'll be in first place in the Atlantic.

[Moranis]

  The #3 seed has always been in play. The people who were telling you we had no hope of catching the 76ers when we still had 50+ games in the season were being ridiculous.

I agree with this, and I don't think they'll take the division. But to say there is 'no chance' is a bit overboard. mathematically there is a chance, so there's a chance.

  We're tied in the loss column with 30+ or so games to play. "mathematically there is a chance, so there's a chance" is how I'd describe the chance Charlotte gets a top three seed in the playoffs this year.

winning the Atlantic doesn't mean the Celtics will be the 3 seed.  It just guarantees no worse than 4.  And it certainly doesn't guarantee home court advantage as the team with the better record will have home court advantage regardless of seeding.  So in the hypothetical situation where the playoffs started tomorrow and if Boston beats the Sixers tonight it would be slotted as the 4th seed, but Indiana (the current 5th seed) would have home court advantage in the playoffs.

[CelticG1]

Haha people are starting to downplay winning the division now. Before it was "they don't have a chance of winning division " now its "who cares winning the division isn't that great anyway" if we "technically" get the 3 or 4 seed will people finally shut up?

[greenpride32]

Things are begining to look promising again.  The ball movement was good for most of the game last night.  But I wouldn't be so quick to get ahead of ourselves.  We almost threw away the NYK game.  And the comeback against HOU was somewhat improbable.  This team still has a lot of flaws and weaknesses.  We barely squeaked out the last 2 games which could have gone either way.  Had we lost them, we'd be reading 10 new threads this morning on who to trade from this team.

[Moranis]

Haha people are starting to downplay winning the division now. Before it was "they don't have a chance of winning division " now its "who cares winning the division isn't that great anyway" if we "technically" get the 3 or 4 seed will people finally shut up?

I have never cared about winning the division.  It doesn't matter.  This is a team that is not on the way up so for me it is title or bust. 

My general sports philosophy is that if a team isn't going to win a title and doesn't have the potential to win the title with essentially the current group, then it should be doing everything possible to get the pieces that could lead to a title.  That means either going all in or blowing it up for a team like the Celtics.  The status quo just doesn't cut it.  The only advantage to winning the division is the Celtics will avoid the Heat longer, but they aren't going to beat the Heat so it really doesn't matter to me in the end.