Is it realistic to think the Celtics can get back to .500?

[mahonedog88]

I know it sounds crazy on the surface...maybe I'm just being Mr. Optimistic right now after a big win.  But as of right now, if the Celtics can go 14-5 in their final 19 games, they can actually finish the season at .500

And if you look at the schedule, and combine a little bit of luck with the way they're playing as of right now...if they can get come out hard night in and night out the rest of the way, I actually don't think it's that crazy of an idea.

No game is an automatic win or automatic loss, but for the sake of this argument, just work with me.  If you had to pick "automatic losses" in the final 19 games, you could argue the back to back against the Cavs, at San Antonio, maybe at Oklahoma City? but Durant won't be back by then...maybe the Clippers at home?...even still, there's 5 and two of them are a stretch in my opinion.  The rest of the final 19 games are completely winnable games...2 against the Bucks, the Knicks, the Sixers, the suddenly sinking Raptors twice, Detroit twice, at Brooklyn who has seemingly waved the white flag on this season, Miami at home, Indiana twice which will be tough.

It's not gonna be easy, and they're certainly going to need to catch fire and play with maximum effort every night and play as if every game is a game 7...but it's not impossible.

[anewframe]

That would be amazing! I dig your optimism 

[SparzWizard]

Unlikely, but we can probably make the playoffs being a sub .500 team!

[guava_wrench]

I don't see it. We aren't good enough.

Our current run is the best 19-game record we've had all season, and it is only 11-8.

[Hemingway]

As long as we win more than we lose from here on out its ok. If we can get/stay hot for the rest of the way we could be a bad first round matchup for someone.

[DarkAzcura]

I don't see it. We aren't good enough.

Our current run is the best 19-game record we've had all season, and it is only 11-8.

Or you can look at it as a 17 game run where the Celtics have gone 11-6, and two of the games were lost to roster turnover/injuries at the deadline and a ridiculous ejection (SAC and LAL). Or you can even look at it is as the last 10 games where the Celtics went 7-3! Or you can look at it as the run of the season where the Celtics have gone 27-36.

My point is, looking at the past runs for this team isn't really completely relevant for future performance. 23-24 players have taken the court for the Celtics this season. Many players have come in and come out. Now that the deadline has passed for almost a month, the roster/lineup is finally gaining a flow and rhythm to it. Players can perform without worrying about being traded. These guys are in it together for the rest of the season, and they know it unlike the previous few months before the deadline (and February in general).

Not saying it is likely the Celtics go on a 14-5 run or anything, but saying the Celtics have only been 11-8 in the last 19; therefore, it is unlikely they will do better than that is a comment without context, and imo, it's not good enough reasoning for believing they can't go 14-5. Who's to say the Celtics don't top that 19 game stretch in the upcoming stretch now that there is more flow and rhythm to the rotation? This being their best 19 game stretch doesn't mean they can't improve on that in the upcoming 19 game stretch.

Using that logic, if someone came up to you a couple months ago and asked you, "do you see the Celtics going 11-8 over the next 19 games," would you have said, "no, they haven't had a 19 game stretch that good this season so they probably can't do it. They aren't good enough." You and most people (me included) probably would have said it, but they went out there, and they did it. The roster has changed way too much to make any definitive claims, imo.

EDIT: Sorry that turned into a long post. I'm just happy with the way they have competed the last month and a half with all of the changes that have occurred this season.

[Donoghus]

With 19 games to go?  Very doubtful although I certainly see them finishing better than the current 9 games under .500.

[kozlodoev]

Is it possible? Sure. Is it realistic? Probably not, it means we have to go 14-5 the rest of the way.

[vjcsmoke]

Very unlikely.  But the truth is that they don't need to get to .500 in order to make the playoffs.  The East is that bad.  As long as we make 8th seed, we are in.

[saltlover]

No.  It is very realistic to think the Celtics can finish over .500 the rest of the way, but 14-5 is a 60-win pace over the course of the season.  That's championship-level basketball.