How Will the Celtics Do Against Bad Teams This Season?

[LooseCannon]

Last season, seven teams (Detroit, Cleveland, Washington, Charlotte, Orlando, Sacramento, Phoenix, and New Orleans) failed to reach 30 wins.  The Celtics were 14-9 against them.  By comparison, Indiana was 22-3 against those teams.  Milwaukee was 13-11.  Brooklyn was 23-1.  Atlanta was 19-6.  Chicago 17-8.  Toronto 14-10.  Detroit (one of those teams) was 15-5.  Washington was 5-14.

The Celtics lost games against weak opponents that they shouldn't have.  You could also interpret that as the Celtics winning games against strong opponents that they shouldn't have, but I tend to believe the Celtics under-performed last season.

With several young players and veterans fighting for playing time, will the Celtics play with more effort and energy against the worst teams?  Even if they win fewer games, will we have less instances where we come away thinking that the Celtics lost a game they should have won?

[wdleehi]

The record will get worse as the Celtics will likely be grouped into that group. 

[PhoSita]

I imagine their record against bad teams will be better than their record against good teams.  I wouldn't venture to say much more than that.

The fact is, bad teams tend to be bad in part because they are so inconsistent -- usually due to youth and a roster poorly constructed for competitive play.  The Celtics pretty clearly fit that mold, at least right now.  So I think it'll be difficult to predict which games will be competitive and which games won't. 

I expect this Celtics team to have some games where they hang tough with the best of the best for much of the 48 minutes, and other games where they get absolutely destroyed by an even less talented opponent.

[Celtics18]

I would gladly take a similar record to last year's against the league bottom dwellers.

[LooseCannon]

So I think it'll be difficult to predict which games will be competitive and which games won't. 

It's not so much the wins and losses, but I'm wondering if we'll see fewer games where we just feel like we're watching a team that isn't trying hard. 

It's one thing to be inconsistent because of talent level.  I'm wondering if this team will be less inconsistent in terms of effort compared to last season.  They may be supposed to win fewer games than last season, but perhaps they will win more of the games that they are supposed to win.

[PhoSita]

So I think it'll be difficult to predict which games will be competitive and which games won't. 

It's not so much the wins and losses, but I'm wondering if we'll see fewer games where we just feel like we're watching a team that isn't trying hard. 

It's one thing to be inconsistent because of talent level.  I'm wondering if this team will be less inconsistent in terms of effort compared to last season.  They may be supposed to win fewer games than last season, but perhaps they will win more of the games that they are supposed to win.

With some many young unproven players and veterans who need to rehab the leaguewide perception of their value, I'd hope we get more consistent effort.

I think that will end up being the most clear evidence we have one way or another of how good a job Brad Stevens is doing.

[SparzWizard]

We got Brad Stevens, and he wants to win.

I think we will do good against those bad teams. As for teams like Miami, Indiana, Chicago, OKC, and mediocre teams like the Lakers...it ain't easy.

[Mazingerz]

Celtics really underwhelmed me during the past seasons versus the bad teams; Losing to the Bobcats was unacceptable; We lost to them, and to several bottom dwellers as well;

I hope Brad Stevens changes this mentality;

[SHAQATTACK]

we  " ARE" the bad team this year

how will the GrEAT teams  react to an unwhelming Celtics with a newbie coach and no KG


hope not laugh

[billysan]

For me, a lot will depend on how soon we establish a regular rotation and how long it takes them to get in sync as a unit. If we end up with a bunch of experiments with starting units and undefined roles? We will be lucky to win 30 games IMO.

This is not from a lack of talent but from uncertainty. I think with the number of new guys, rookies and the new coach we need to keep things simple and consistent.

It is very likely we will do poorly against both good and bad teams this year.

[LooseCannon]

we  " ARE" the bad team this year

Some bad teams have winning records against bad teams.  Mathematically, if you take the six worst teams (whether they include the Celtics or not), at least one of them will have a winning record against the other five teams, unless they all have .500 records among games played between two of those teams. 

And I'm not convinced the Celtics will be in that group.

[slamtheking]

I actually think we'll do better against bad teams than we've done since the 2009 season where this team wouldn't show up at home (particularly Friday nights) against the league's garbage.  I think this team will come out and try to win every game.  probably without a lot of success but I think they'll be the best of the bottom feeders this year

[Ogaju]

Bold prediction here.

If Rondo is back before Christmas Celtics will make playoffs.