Moving Forward

[slamtheking]

Phili would be an interesting matchup just for the Holiday + L Williams vs RR + AB matchups. But first they have to finish atl.

Philly scares me as much as any team other than the Heat.

They have a bunch of long athletic guys, they have some knock down shooters, they have big guys who can do a lot of damage down low, if they are playing well, and they have a good coach who has gotten them to play very disciplined at times this season.

They are certainly a Jeckle and Hyde type team, that is not really pieced together perfectly, but they have a ton of talent, and some guys who can create real matchup problems for the C's if they aren't locked in.

I think this is a pretty spot-on assessment.  Just because Philly faded as the season wore on does not mean they'll be pushovers.  If they get by Chicago, they'll be full of confidence that they not only knocked off the (depleted) top seed but also have a shot at a team they usually beat pretty handily during the season. 

C's should beat Philly but Philly will be coming to play every night.  I can't be sure that the Celtics will do the same after watching games 1-3 in the Indy series.  The C's should be seeing the opportunity is there for one last title if they get their act together but until game 4 last night, they've yet to really show up for a game.

[Chris]

Phili would be an interesting matchup just for the Holiday + L Williams vs RR + AB matchups. But first they have to finish atl.

Philly scares me as much as any team other than the Heat.

Really? They do not scare me at all. I view them as a team lacking a closer that doesn't win close games.

This is true.  However, this also describes the C's for much of the last 2 seasons.  Pierce has come up big in the playoffs, but there were long stretches the last few years, where the C's couldn't close anyone out. 

And the thing about this Philly team is that they DEFEND.  They were arguably the best defensive team in the league for a decent stretch earlier in the season...and they seem to be getting their swagger back.

And the C's are not so great a team that they can only be beaten by another great team.  If the C's are not playing their absolute best, a team like Philly, who have a number of guys who can get very hot from the outside, and can clamp down on the C's defensively, could certainly cause a lot of problems.

[thestackshow]

If we get by the Hawks, who I am not writing off just because we are banged up and I see game 5 in Atlanta going to the Hawks.  Hopefully we can take them out in Boston to move on.  Assuming the Sixers move on, how do you think we will fare against them?  I could see us letting our guard down and prolong this series longer then it should be.  We did not match up well against them in the reg. season.  I can see this series going 7 with the Sixers possibly upsetting the Cs in Boston.  Thoughts??

AI < Pierce
Brand > Bass
Hawes = KG
Turner > Bradley
Holiday < Rondo

Phi Bench > Bos Bench

Collins = Doc

Did you just say Hawes = KG?

[Chris]

If we get by the Hawks, who I am not writing off just because we are banged up and I see game 5 in Atlanta going to the Hawks.  Hopefully we can take them out in Boston to move on.  Assuming the Sixers move on, how do you think we will fare against them?  I could see us letting our guard down and prolong this series longer then it should be.  We did not match up well against them in the reg. season.  I can see this series going 7 with the Sixers possibly upsetting the Cs in Boston.  Thoughts??

AI < Pierce
Brand > Bass
Hawes = KG
Turner > Bradley
Holiday < Rondo

Phi Bench > Bos Bench

Collins = Doc

Did you just say Hawes = KG?

Yeah, thats an overstatement, but Hawes is very good, and has had a very good run in the playoffs so far.  He isn't as good as KG, but he isn't that far behind either. 

[thestackshow]

Ill keep it simple.

Hawks are a better team then the Sixers.

Celtics in 5.

We match up even better with the Sixers.

Celtics in 4?

[Who]

Starters

PG - Rondo vs Holiday - advantage Boston
SG - Bradley vs Turner
SF - Pierce vs Iggy
PF - Bass vs Brand
C  - Garnett vs Hawes - advantage Boston

I am going to be conservative and call the Iggy-Pierce matchup neutral. Pierce is the more talented player but Iguodala has done quite well against him over the last few years. So neutral or maybe slight advantage Pierce.

I also think that Bass and Brand is neutral. Brand is the perfect type of offensive player for Bass to matchup against defensively. He should do a good job on Brand.

The battle at shooting guard should be a good one. Turner should have the advantage with his superb size and ability to create extra possessions but I think his limitations as a shot-creator and scorer versus Bradley's quick footed defense will end up giving many of those extra possessions right back to Boston (with Turner taking several low percentage midrange and long two point jump-shots and being an inefficient / ineffective scorer).

They should put Jrue Holiday on Bradley and Turner on Rondo.

Reserves

PG - Dooling vs Lou Williams - advantage Philly
SG - Ray vs Meeks - advantage Boston
SF - Pietrus vs Thaddeus Young - advantage Philly
PF - JJJ or S.Williams vs L.Allen
C  - Stiemsma vs Vucevic - possible advantage Boston

It looks like Doug Collins has lost faith in Vucevic and has been using Lavoy Allen as his primary backup big man. I don't understand that at all. L.Allen is a very limited player. Anyway, if that continues, that would pit Stiemsma against L.Allen and I think that creates another advantage for Boston off the bench.

Thaddeus Young's advantage is more about his ability to play the PF position at a good level than how he matches up against Pietrus. When pitted against Pietrus, a fairly neutral matchup.

Summary

Boston are strong favourites in a playoff series against Philly.

[JSD]

Starters

PG - Rondo vs Holiday - advantage Boston
SG - Bradley vs Turner
SF - Pierce vs Iggy
PF - Bass vs Brand
C  - Garnett vs Hawes - advantage Boston

I am going to be conservative and call the Iggy-Pierce matchup neutral. Pierce is the more talented player but Iguodala has done quite well against him over the last few years. So neutral or maybe slight advantage Pierce.

I also think that Bass and Brand is neutral. Brand is the perfect type of offensive player for Bass to matchup against defensively. He should do a good job on Brand.

The battle at shooting guard should be a good one. Turner should have the advantage with his superb size and ability to create extra possessions but I think his limitations as a shot-creator and scorer versus Bradley's quick footed defense will end up giving many of those extra possessions right back to Boston (with Turner taking several low percentage midrange and long two point jump-shots and being an inefficient / ineffective scorer).

They should put Jrue Holiday on Bradley and Turner on Rondo.

Reserves

PG - Dooling vs Lou Williams - advantage Philly
SG - Ray vs Meeks - advantage Boston
SF - Pietrus vs Thaddeus Young - advantage Philly
PF - JJJ or S.Williams vs L.Allen
C  - Stiemsma vs Vucevic - possible advantage Boston

It looks like Doug Collins has lost faith in Vucevic and has been using Lavoy Allen as his primary backup big man. I don't understand that at all. L.Allen is a very limited player. Anyway, if that continues, that would pit Stiemsma against L.Allen and I think that creates another advantage for Boston off the bench.

Thaddeus Young's advantage is more about his ability to play the PF position at a good level than how he matches up against Pietrus. When pitted against Pietrus, a fairly neutral matchup.

Summary

Boston are strong favourites in a playoff series against Philly.

Great breakdown Who. I agree with pretty much everything you said in it.

[Chris]

Starters

PG - Rondo vs Holiday - advantage Boston
SG - Bradley vs Turner
SF - Pierce vs Iggy
PF - Bass vs Brand
C  - Garnett vs Hawes - advantage Boston

I am going to be conservative and call the Iggy-Pierce matchup neutral. Pierce is the more talented player but Iguodala has done quite well against him over the last few years. So neutral or maybe slight advantage Pierce.

I also think that Bass and Brand is neutral. Brand is the perfect type of offensive player for Bass to matchup against defensively. He should do a good job on Brand.

The battle at shooting guard should be a good one. Turner should have the advantage with his superb size and ability to create extra possessions but I think his limitations as a shot-creator and scorer versus Bradley's quick footed defense will end up giving many of those extra possessions right back to Boston (with Turner taking several low percentage midrange and long two point jump-shots and being an inefficient / ineffective scorer).

They should put Jrue Holiday on Bradley and Turner on Rondo.

Reserves

PG - Dooling vs Lou Williams - advantage Philly
SG - Ray vs Meeks - advantage Boston
SF - Pietrus vs Thaddeus Young - advantage Philly
PF - JJJ or S.Williams vs L.Allen
C  - Stiemsma vs Vucevic - possible advantage Boston

It looks like Doug Collins has lost faith in Vucevic and has been using Lavoy Allen as his primary backup big man. I don't understand that at all. L.Allen is a very limited player. Anyway, if that continues, that would pit Stiemsma against L.Allen and I think that creates another advantage for Boston off the bench.

Thaddeus Young's advantage is more about his ability to play the PF position at a good level than how he matches up against Pietrus. When pitted against Pietrus, a fairly neutral matchup.

Summary

Boston are strong favourites in a playoff series against Philly.

Good breakdown.  And I agree with it for the most part.  My only point is, this breakdown is true if the C's come out like they did in game 4.  If they come out like they did in game 1 and 3, then I think Philly will be a much tougher out than the Hawks have been, particularly if they get hot.  They are tougher defensively, and have much more talented depth.

[Smitty77]

Just to add to others' comments about KG vs. Hawes.  KG is 9th in Efficieny in the playoffs thus far at a 23.5 and Hawes is QUITE a bit behind in 32nd at 16.3.  7.2 points in efficiency is a LOT!!

Also, our bench is pretty stong with Ray on it now.  Stiemsa is definitely better than Vucevic and a far superior defender.  I really think that we as Celtics' fans underestimate Pietrus and Sasha as well.  What they do doesn't scream at you, but they usually guard the other team's best offensive player.

Smitty77

P.S. EVERY game, all three, that we played Philly, WE were coming off a game the night before!!  In ONLY one of the three was Philly coming off a game the night before.  Therefore, those games, especially two of them, are totally irrelevant to me!!!!!  There should be no or very few back to back playoff games.