Only 1.5 games from the 4th seed

[Moranis]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

[Lightskinsmurf]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

Oh wow....I could easily see the celtics losing to all 3 of those teams. Even without rose I don't like the bulls matchup and with rose we're dead. Of course if we run into the heat our fate seems sealed and Id rather see the knicks over the pacers..

[Snakehead]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

So you're saying you want to play Miami more than the Knicks?

....

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

So you're saying you want to play Miami more than the Knicks?

....

In some sense yes. Knicks are too unpredictable to me, and I don't like that. I know what Miami is, know what they'll try to do, and am confident on how we'll execute against it.

[Donoghus]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

So you're saying you want to play Miami more than the Knicks?

....

That has me scratching my head too.  I don't know how anyone would feel confident walking into a series with the Heat right now. 

Knicks have some glaring problems that I think the Celtics can play off of.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

Oh wow....I could easily see the celtics losing to all 3 of those teams. Even without rose I don't like the bulls matchup and with rose we're dead. Of course if we run into the heat our fate seems sealed and Id rather see the knicks over the pacers..

I can see us losing to every team in the playoffs... what's your point exactly?

[eugen]

Cs have to avoid HEAT during semifinals

[Lightskinsmurf]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

Oh wow....I could easily see the celtics losing to all 3 of those teams. Even without rose I don't like the bulls matchup and with rose we're dead. Of course if we run into the heat our fate seems sealed and Id rather see the knicks over the pacers..

I can see us losing to every team in the playoffs... what's your point exactly?

Well then, enough said.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

Oh wow....I could easily see the celtics losing to all 3 of those teams. Even without rose I don't like the bulls matchup and with rose we're dead. Of course if we run into the heat our fate seems sealed and Id rather see the knicks over the pacers..

I can see us losing to every team in the playoffs... what's your point exactly?

Well then, enough said.

Then add a dosage of "I can see us winning to every team in the playoffs" and we're good to go.

[Lightskinsmurf]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

Oh wow....I could easily see the celtics losing to all 3 of those teams. Even without rose I don't like the bulls matchup and with rose we're dead. Of course if we run into the heat our fate seems sealed and Id rather see the knicks over the pacers..

I can see us losing to every team in the playoffs... what's your point exactly?

Well then, enough said.

Then add a dosage of "I can see us winning to every team in the playoffs" and we're good to go.

You just had to ruin it..

[CelticsFan9]

I don't really care when we play Miami, because we have to at some point.

New York doesn't scare me at all.

Brooklyn shouldn't give us trouble.

Milwaukee is easy to shut down.

Atlanta has a bunch of knuckleheads, but Horford scares me.

Indiana is good, but they aren't that smart about taking advantage of their size.

Chicago scares me.

We match up well with Miami, but we can't win that series without Rondo.

[Snakehead]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

So you're saying you want to play Miami more than the Knicks?

....

In some sense yes. Knicks are too unpredictable to me, and I don't like that. I know what Miami is, know what they'll try to do, and am confident on how we'll execute against it.

The Knicks have gotten worse since Amare has come back.  Could he be an X factor in an individual game?  Sure.  But not a series, or the playoffs, no way.

Knicks are too dependent on three pointers.  That won't carry them through a series against a good defensive team.

To me, of the top 5 teams in the order you'd NOT want to play as the Celtics:

Miami (clearly the best team in the league)
Bulls (great defense, size)
Pacers (great defense, balance)
Knicks
Brookyln

[BballTim]

I'd much rather play the Knicks in the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls (especially if they get Rose back) and I certainly don't want to play the Pacers or Heat.  The only problem is I have no idea if that means we want to be 6th or 7th since the Knicks and Pacers are so close together.

I'm the opposite of much of what you're saying. Would like to avoid Knicks and Brooklyn.

Wouldn't mind playing the Pacers, Heat, or Bulls. The Heat, I can reason that it's a match-up one wants to avoid as they're clearly the top of the league, but I feel confident on our ability to play with them.

Don't want to play the Bucks either, might be the team I least want to face in the playoffs, and just about every team should too.

The Knicks just have a lot of X factors that concern me, particularly Amare.

  I think the Bulls are a tough out and even if you beat them they'll drain the life out of you. I could see the Knicks or the Nets folding if things aren't going their way. That might be based on history but it's how I feel.

[BruceBanner18]

From a purely statistical stand point, catching the Knicks is not a stretch.  The Knicks have basically been a 500 team since a hot start.  If over their last 25 games they go 13-12 (which would match their winning percentage since starting 18-5) and the Celtics continued their 12-4 type play which would result in a 17-6 record over our last 23 games...we are tied.  Two head to head games will be crucial for the C's.  Brooklyn has 11 of their next 14 on the road, including an 8 game road trip.  The division is definitely not lost yet.