Celtics playing for 8th seed?

[hpantazo]

This is not meant as criticism against anyone but against the team: This stuff with trying to play for a CERTAIN seed is flat out stupid.

Either you're a championship team or you are not, plain simple.

If you're a REAL team with heart and guts, you don't stink up the court the way the Celtics did last night.

It's beyond me how anyone can watch this type of product and still feel this team has a chance.

Either you're a good team or you're not. No in-between. At least not to me.

BUT to Danny Ainge, Wyc Grousbeck and Doc Rivers, "good enough" is good enough as long as they can keep selling tickets.

I take it you missed the last 4 regular seasons then? This team in the KG-Pierce-Rondo (and Ray) era has consistently put up some ugly stretches during the regular season with the exception of the 2007-2008 season. They always brought it in the playoffs though.

Actually, no I HAVEN'T missed the last 4 regular seasons. I am fully aware the Celts have taken games off during the last 4 seasons, which (here comes the surprise)  is why they haven't won an NBA title in the last 4 years.

Those who try, win titles. Those who sleep walk during games, are watching the NBA championship with binoculars instead of hoisting it after the NBA finals.

Well they were like 6 minutes away from a title in 2010, and hey definitely played down to bad teams during that year

And you're missing my point (or proving it.) If the Celtics played better during the regular season, they could've possibly had home court advantage in the finals. If that was the case, then the Celts would've had a MUCH better chance of winning the finals with HC advantage then being on the road (see 2008.)

Also, staying on the topic of the 2010 finals, either you won or you lost. Well the Celts lost, right?

There's no title for the team that loses in the finals.

I think your missing the point. A team that mailed it in for large chunks of the regular season was in the end healthy and energized enough to get within a quarter of a game of winning the NBA title.

A team of older vets who are overworked to improve playoff seeding would have likely been out in round 2 that year.

[edwardjkasche]

Let's start with this belief: I do believe the Celtics (with current squad + healthy KG/Lee) are the ONLY team in the East who can defeat the cHeat in a 7-game series.  Even without Rondo, I believe this to be true.  Indy, NY, Brooklyn, and Atlanta do not stand a chance.  Chicago, without a fully healthy Rose, does not stand a chance.

For the past two seasons, I have believed that facing the Heat in the first round would be best.  We'd be healthier, more energetic, and heck they may even overlook us for a game or two.  If we could steal a game or two, for whatever reason, we'd have a series.

A strength of the Celtics is that they fight and claw for every last inch, meaning we tend to overachieve in the playoffs.

A weakness of the Celtics is that they do not close teams out, meaning we tend to battle through multiple long series and overtime games.

So, yes, I do believe the Celtics best chance of beating the cHeat this season would be in the first round.

However, there is ONE HUGE PROBLEM with this strategy.

Problem: There is NO WAY IN HELL the League would allow the cHeat to lose in the first round of this year's playoffs.  Not with them already having been crowned the greatest team ever.  Not with them on the verge of becoming a dynasty (or has ESPN already labeled them a dynasty?).

I'm not calling it a full-on "conspiracy," but the cHeat will get the benefit of every single call x10 in this year's playoffs.  It's going to take an other-worldly effort and a lot of luck to beat a team with their natural talent and the weight of the League behind them.

So, no, it's probably not best for the Cs to face the cHeat in the first round.  The League won't let them win that series, even if the cHeat would.

[celts10]

Let's start with this belief: I do believe the Celtics (with current squad + healthy KG/Lee) are the ONLY team in the East who can defeat the cHeat in a 7-game series.

Can't disagree with you, it looks like the Heat is the only team which gives this group any motivation anymore.

[OsirusCeltics]

Celtics just need to get to 5th place, and they'll be fine

[gar]

NBA (stern & networks) would be fine with us playing the Heat in 1st round. So nothing would surprise me.

[go11celtics]

Celtics just need to get to 5th place, and they'll be fine

5th doesn't help us at all. Either you try to play Miami as soon as possible or as late as possible. 5th gives them an easy first round matchup and time to rest for us. We need either 6/7 or 8 depending on when you want to play Miami

[CelticsFan9]

I feel like they are.  I'm not sure why people are that surprised, because beating Miami is all this team has really cared about this season.

Remember when Doc said he had the ECF playing in the gym all summer, for all the players (returning and new) to see?  Doc wanted this team to beat Miami, then to worry about championship aspirations.  It actually makes a lot of sense, because, like Pierce has said, "To be the best, you've got to beat the best.  And right now, Miami's the team to beat."

In my opinion, we're the only team in the East that the can really give Miami a good series.  The way Danny built this squad was to beat Miami, and even though we've lost key pieces (namely Rondo and Sully), we're fortunate enough to still be able to match up with them.

I'll gladly take watching god-awful basketball for the next month if it means I get to see one more Boston-Miami series.  Can't wait.

[go11celtics]

I'll gladly take watching god-awful basketball for the next month if it means I get to see one more Boston-Miami series.  Can't wait.

Well I might not watch, but I get your point 

[eugen]

I think if KG will miss in nexy 5 games, Cs will go at 8th seed, facing Heat during the playoff.

[anthony83]

 I do believe the Celtics (with current squad + healthy KG/Lee) are the ONLY team in the East who can defeat the cHeat in a 7-game series.  Even without Rondo, I believe this to be true.

 +1111

 Miami knows that the Celtics is his worst enemy,Indiana, Knicks, Nets are good teams but Celtics are different, and there is great hatred vs Miami.

 I really do not care and get 8 or 7 position, but Celtics would have to look to be 7 place.

[Spicoli]

I'm fully on board with the team playing for 8th. I think they should rest Pierce and KG for the remainder of the regular season, and go to battle with Miami. It's honestly the best chance they have because the longer this team plays the more likely an injury will occur. So, get as healthy and fresh as possible, give Miami all they can handle and call it a day.

[anthony83]

I'm fully on board with the team playing for 8th. I think they should rest Pierce and KG for the remainder of the regular season, and go to battle with Miami. It's honestly the best chance they have because the longer this team plays the more likely an injury will occur. So, get as healthy and fresh as possible, give Miami all they can handle and call it a day.

 This it´s a possibility but Doc will not, Now more than ever it is important that KG and Th Thuth rested arrive as possible to playoffs, surely they have to play 35/40 minutes in the playoffs.

[Clench123]

I'm fully on board with the team playing for 8th. I think they should rest Pierce and KG for the remainder of the regular season, and go to battle with Miami. It's honestly the best chance they have because the longer this team plays the more likely an injury will occur. So, get as healthy and fresh as possible, give Miami all they can handle and call it a day.

You have to factor in rust when you say that.  You don't want too much rest and then they get all rusty which will end up being detrimental to us.  Finding a balance between rest and playing time for both guys should be the right move

[Spicoli]

I'm fully on board with the team playing for 8th. I think they should rest Pierce and KG for the remainder of the regular season, and go to battle with Miami. It's honestly the best chance they have because the longer this team plays the more likely an injury will occur. So, get as healthy and fresh as possible, give Miami all they can handle and call it a day.

You have to factor in rust when you say that.  You don't want too much rest and then they get all rusty which will end up being detrimental to us.  Finding a balance between rest and playing time for both guys should be the right move

I would totally agree with that approach if i believed Rivers would actually employ that strategy. As long as KG and Pierce are in basketball shorts, Rivers will play them too many minutes. He is horrible at managing minutes. These are the only two guys i feel as though should be sat out for the remainder of the regular season. Everybody else can continue to play and gain confidence.

[GreenFaith1819]

Can anyone here imagine the PANDEMONIUM if BOS can beat MIA in the first round, LOL....

No matter how good MIA looks right now, I don't think they are looking forward to such a series.

ALL the pressure is on MIA......BOS's "Too Old"...."No Rondo"...."No Sully".......I say No Problem...

MIA's SUPPOSED to run roughshod over us...LeBron's supposed to average  triple double on us...LeBron's the next best thing to sliced bread...LeBron can fly, LeBron, LeBron, LeBron, LeBron...like a bad record that gets stuck...

I sincerely hope we do get them early.

Just imagine the pandemonium IF we can beat MIA...