we're winning too many games lately (bad for tanking)

[lightspeed5]

http://espn.go.com/nba/lottery2014/mockdraft

back down to 6.3% chance of winning and side by side with the lakers. 6th best chances of winning.

[Celtics18]

Yes.  Winning games is bad for tanking, but it's good for the old-fashioned objective of athletic competition which is … well . . . winning. 

[cb8883]

Welcome to treadmillville, population us. 

[Celtics17]

Danny Ainge walks into the team practice facility where he proceeds to give the players a pep talk. He concludes it by saying " now you guys give it all you have, be competitive, and try hard to win".

He then leaves and subsequently returns and says to coach Stevens "make sure they try hard to win but seriously make sure they try harder to lose".

[PhoSita]

don't focus so much on the % chance of getting the #1 pick.  that would only be truly important if this were a 1 player draft.  it isn't.

focus on our chance of getting a top 5, top 8, top 10 pick.  right now those chances are still very, very good.

[Celtics18]

Danny Ainge walks into the team practice facility where he proceeds to give the players a pep talk. He concludes it by saying " now you guys give it all you have, be competitive, and try hard to win".

He then leaves and subsequently returns and says to coach Stevens "make sure they try hard to win but seriously make sure they try harder to lose".

Apparently that's how a majority of CB posters think that it actually works.

[SCeltic34]

The good news for pro-tankers is that the schedule for March is pretty brutal.  Wins will be tough to come by.  April eases up though.

[rondohondo]

very frustrating watching wallace and bayless help us win these meaningless games against out tanking competition .....


Danny needs to trade wallace/green and bass/hump soon

[freshinthehouse]

don't focus so much on the % chance of getting the #1 pick.  that would only be truly important if this were a 1 player draft.  it isn't.

focus on our chance of getting a top 5, top 8, top 10 pick.  right now those chances are still very, very good.

This.  As long as we have a solid chance of ending up with a top 6 pick, I'm happy.  We were never gonna be a bottom 3 team, especially once we got Rondo back.

[pokeKingCurtis]

don't focus so much on the % chance of getting the #1 pick.  that would only be truly important if this were a 1 player draft.  it isn't.

focus on our chance of getting a top 5, top 8, top 10 pick.  right now those chances are still very, very good.

I think that's a lot more reasonable.

You simply cannot outtank the Bucks, the Cavs and the Magic. They're the remnants of YEARS of mismanagement and bad basketball karma.

[PhoSita]

Danny Ainge walks into the team practice facility where he proceeds to give the players a pep talk. He concludes it by saying " now you guys give it all you have, be competitive, and try hard to win".

He then leaves and subsequently returns and says to coach Stevens "make sure they try hard to win but seriously make sure they try harder to lose".

Apparently that's how a majority of CB posters think that it actually works.

I'm quite sure that's not how it works.  However, I do think that Danny and Stevens communicate frequently about the team's long and short term goals, and how to best achieve them.  That probably includes talking about how to focus on player development rather than worrying about sticking with more successful conventional / veteran-heavy lineups.

[csfansince60s]

don't focus so much on the % chance of getting the #1 pick.  that would only be truly important if this were a 1 player draft.  it isn't.

focus on our chance of getting a top 5, top 8, top 10 pick.  right now those chances are still very, very good.

To me it's top 5 or bust. Embid, Wiggins, Parker, Exum, Vonleh. If we can't get one of those 5 we should trade the pick as part of a package for a strong player or trade down for a couple of picks.

I hate that I'm rooting for them to lose. I hate more that they're winning utterly meaningless games. Too good for a top 5, too bad for a playoff spot. This sucks.

C'mon Ainge. Green has to go as does Bass. Hump has value to a contender as a contributor to a stretch run and a big expiring. Start dumping.

It blows my head that people are glad we are winning meaningless games....sounds like big time rationalization too me.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

very frustrating watching wallace and bayless help us win these meaningless games against out tanking competition .....


Danny needs to trade wallace/green and bass/hump soon

agreed

[Celtics17]

Irregardless of how it "works" or doesnt work, I am quite certain that Ainge and the Celtics brass would rather see a high pick in this years draft then they would to see 5-8 more victories on the year.

[Mr October]

The celtics won. So did the lakers, so did the cavs, so did the magic. Even bad teams have to win sometimes.

The celtics weren't going to finish the year 0-32.

They are probably going to finish the year with 28 wins and the 5th or 6th worst record.

At most they are going to finish with 32 wins and the 8th or 9th worst record.

Meanwhile we might be witnessing the unveiling of the next allstar to pair with rondo.  Welcome to the big lights Mr. Sullinger!