What did I miss? Playoffs, 8th seed, 7th seed?

[Quetzalcoatl]

I have a feeling the team will just keep playing the same aggressive over-achiever style they have been playing for the past few months.  We don't have any stars to rest.  I imagine Stevens wants to keep confidence up.   This isn't a team that can afford to lose two in a row heading into a playoff series they have no chance of winning.   Gonna take some kind of miracle to make a dent vs the Cavs.    Makes the most sense to go full-throttle these last two games regardless of whether or not playoffs are locked in.

Unfortunately, I see this happening, too, even though I think it's stupid and we're shooting ourselves in the foot by doing it.

Though, it would be awesome to end the season 40-42, which would be absolutely amazing given the context of our season.

Honestly, our best asset right now is Stevens and having him out coach Blatt would be pretty valuable, even if we lose.  I am as pro-tank as they come and would have no problem with us intentionally losing the last two games, but developing Stevens is important.  This will be his first NBA playoffs and he will get to witness an elite team first hand in postseason mode.  Also, there is the (very) slim chance that Smart plays out of his mind, which would also be incredibly valuable, although I'm not really holding my breath for it. 

The idea that going to the playoffs is going to attract a star FA is ridiculous though.  Nobody is going to take less money to get on the overachieving Celtics. 

[jpotter33]

I have a feeling the team will just keep playing the same aggressive over-achiever style they have been playing for the past few months.  We don't have any stars to rest.  I imagine Stevens wants to keep confidence up.   This isn't a team that can afford to lose two in a row heading into a playoff series they have no chance of winning.   Gonna take some kind of miracle to make a dent vs the Cavs.    Makes the most sense to go full-throttle these last two games regardless of whether or not playoffs are locked in.

Unfortunately, I see this happening, too, even though I think it's stupid and we're shooting ourselves in the foot by doing it.

Though, it would be awesome to end the season 40-42, which would be absolutely amazing given the context of our season.

Honestly, our best asset right now is Stevens and having him out coach Blatt would be pretty valuable, even if we lose.  I am as pro-tank as they come and would have no problem with us intentionally losing the last two games, but developing Stevens is important.  This will be his first NBA playoffs and he will get to witness an elite team first hand in postseason mode.  Also, there is the (very) slim chance that Smart plays out of his mind, which would also be incredibly valuable, although I'm not really holding my breath for it. 

The idea that going to the playoffs is going to attract a star FA is ridiculous though.  Nobody is going to take less money to get on the overachieving Celtics.

Tell that to the Houston Rockets. I highly doubt Howard would've joined there if the Rockets didn't make the playoffs and give OKC a good series that season.

[saltlover]

I have a feeling the team will just keep playing the same aggressive over-achiever style they have been playing for the past few months.  We don't have any stars to rest.  I imagine Stevens wants to keep confidence up.   This isn't a team that can afford to lose two in a row heading into a playoff series they have no chance of winning.   Gonna take some kind of miracle to make a dent vs the Cavs.    Makes the most sense to go full-throttle these last two games regardless of whether or not playoffs are locked in.

Unfortunately, I see this happening, too, even though I think it's stupid and we're shooting ourselves in the foot by doing it.

Though, it would be awesome to end the season 40-42, which would be absolutely amazing given the context of our season.

Honestly, our best asset right now is Stevens and having him out coach Blatt would be pretty valuable, even if we lose.  I am as pro-tank as they come and would have no problem with us intentionally losing the last two games, but developing Stevens is important.  This will be his first NBA playoffs and he will get to witness an elite team first hand in postseason mode.  Also, there is the (very) slim chance that Smart plays out of his mind, which would also be incredibly valuable, although I'm not really holding my breath for it. 

The idea that going to the playoffs is going to attract a star FA is ridiculous though.  Nobody is going to take less money to get on the overachieving Celtics.

I don't think people are suggesting that players will take less money.  I think the hope is that if the Celtics were among a group of teams presenting max offers to a player (or even identical non-max offers), their play this year might have improved their reputation enough to be a deciding factor after dollars are considered.  Few players take less to play anywhere, and virtually no players in their prime earning years, at least it when the difference is significant (I'm aware LeBron took a small amount under the max to go to Miami, because he knew he could make it up in endorsements with a championship.)

[danglertx]

I have a feeling the team will just keep playing the same aggressive over-achiever style they have been playing for the past few months.  We don't have any stars to rest.  I imagine Stevens wants to keep confidence up.   This isn't a team that can afford to lose two in a row heading into a playoff series they have no chance of winning.   Gonna take some kind of miracle to make a dent vs the Cavs.    Makes the most sense to go full-throttle these last two games regardless of whether or not playoffs are locked in.

Unfortunately, I see this happening, too, even though I think it's stupid and we're shooting ourselves in the foot by doing it.

Though, it would be awesome to end the season 40-42, which would be absolutely amazing given the context of our season.

Honestly, our best asset right now is Stevens and having him out coach Blatt would be pretty valuable, even if we lose.  I am as pro-tank as they come and would have no problem with us intentionally losing the last two games, but developing Stevens is important.  This will be his first NBA playoffs and he will get to witness an elite team first hand in postseason mode.  Also, there is the (very) slim chance that Smart plays out of his mind, which would also be incredibly valuable, although I'm not really holding my breath for it. 

The idea that going to the playoffs is going to attract a star FA is ridiculous though.  Nobody is going to take less money to get on the overachieving Celtics.

I don't think people are suggesting that players will take less money.  I think the hope is that if the Celtics were among a group of teams presenting max offers to a player (or even identical non-max offers), their play this year might have improved their reputation enough to be a deciding factor after dollars are considered.  Few players take less to play anywhere, and virtually no players in their prime earning years, at least it when the difference is significant (I'm aware LeBron took a small amount under the max to go to Miami, because he knew he could make it up in endorsements with a championship.)

Well said.

[hwangjini_1]

We don't really control our own destiny with regard to the 7th vs 8th seed.  We need to lose both games, but also have either Brooklyn or Indiana win out to get 8th.  But if we lose out and both teams win out, we're not in the playoffs at all. 

Brooklyn plays tonight - if they lose we're in and could maybe try for this.  But if they win we'd be in a really difficult situation if 8th was our goal.  Since both our games Tues/Wed are before the Pacers' games, and Wednesday's is at the same time as Brooklyn's, we'd have to walk the tightrope of trying to lose those games without knowing for sure whether we can afford to do so without missing the playoffs completely.  I just don't think it's likely, we'll take the sure ticket and play the team in front of us.


EDIT:  Looks like you're talking more about hoping for the 8th as opposed to trying for it.  I'm against that too for the same reason - we wouldn't know if the losses were pushing us down to 8th or 9th until the games were over.

it is not crystal clear that CBS and this team refuses to lose games? they may be beaten by other teams, but they dont lose their games. CBS has convinced the players to win and win now.

to suddenly ask them to lose a game for the sake of seeding is about as anti-CBS as i can imagine. i think CBS believes he can defeat any team. to speculate otherwise is down right delusional.

further, i do not understand the talk about which team the celtics should play in the first round. it makes no difference whom the celtics match up against, if the celtics are truly going to advance in the playoffs. to advance, they will have to defeat the best teams sooner or later.

whether it is cleveland then atlanta or atlanta then cleveland makes no difference. the celtics will be forced to deal with both of them soon enough. to hope and pray and plot for a particular opponent will not change the celtics odds since the celtics will have to face both should they advance.

[hwangjini_1]

I have a feeling the team will just keep playing the same aggressive over-achiever style they have been playing for the past few months.  We don't have any stars to rest.  I imagine Stevens wants to keep confidence up.   This isn't a team that can afford to lose two in a row heading into a playoff series they have no chance of winning.   Gonna take some kind of miracle to make a dent vs the Cavs.    Makes the most sense to go full-throttle these last two games regardless of whether or not playoffs are locked in.

Unfortunately, I see this happening, too, even though I think it's stupid and we're shooting ourselves in the foot by doing it.

Though, it would be awesome to end the season 40-42, which would be absolutely amazing given the context of our season.

Honestly, our best asset right now is Stevens and having him out coach Blatt would be pretty valuable, even if we lose.  I am as pro-tank as they come and would have no problem with us intentionally losing the last two games, but developing Stevens is important.  This will be his first NBA playoffs and he will get to witness an elite team first hand in postseason mode.  Also, there is the (very) slim chance that Smart plays out of his mind, which would also be incredibly valuable, although I'm not really holding my breath for it. 

The idea that going to the playoffs is going to attract a star FA is ridiculous though.  Nobody is going to take less money to get on the overachieving Celtics.

I don't think people are suggesting that players will take less money.  I think the hope is that if the Celtics were among a group of teams presenting max offers to a player (or even identical non-max offers), their play this year might have improved their reputation enough to be a deciding factor after dollars are considered.  Few players take less to play anywhere, and virtually no players in their prime earning years, at least it when the difference is significant (I'm aware LeBron took a small amount under the max to go to Miami, because he knew he could make it up in endorsements with a championship.)

good points sl. but honestly, being the 7th/8th seed in the nba east will not provide much additional weight to many free agents' decision about the celtics. i think more importantly is the presence of very good players, maybe not stars, but very good players.

a star could see these good players as supporting cast for his talents and he sees himself leading this "one player away team."

next year, i expect ainge to bring in 2-3 "very good players" so as to set the stage in two years to bring in the star player. or heck, maybe even two stars. we can dream. 

[Celtics4ever]

Teams sign in nice warm locales or to play with another star more than they sign with the seventh or eighth playoff team.  I have never recall a free agent saying I want to sign with the eighth seed.  For guys who think that a guy will sign here because we are winner then they  really have not looked at our record.  We made the playoffs but we are hardly a winner.

I think we have a better chance of luring a guy who wants to be the man, than on the basis of us being a winner.   We can present our team as his team, I just hope if Ainge  commits that it is a player of exceptional caliber.

I like CBS, he has created a culture where tanking is not expected and the team fights every night.

[SparzWizard]

Somebody confirm this with me...if Brooklyn loses to Chicago tonight, Boston is in the playoffs right?

[saltlover]

Somebody confirm this with me...if Brooklyn loses to Chicago tonight, Boston is in the playoffs right?

Correct.

[Celtics18]

Somebody confirm this with me...if Brooklyn loses to Chicago tonight, Boston is in the playoffs right?

That is correct. 

[Fafnir]

Just win a game and the C's are in, then you can worry about stategic seeding considerations.

Can't mess around earlier than that.

Yeah but once we win a game there are no more seeding considerations. 

Indeed, which is why you can't massage this thing. I don't think we match up particularly well with either team, Atlanta is more injured I guess.....

[SparzWizard]

Thank you all!

Bulls do have something to fight for...a #3 seed over Toronto. Get it done Bulls. 

[SHAQATTACK]

There is always the chance , Celtics could screw up the whole deal ......loose last games and both Nets and Pacers win .

I hope the Celtics players aren't relying on Nets or Pacers to loose. 

[BDeCosta26]

Teams sign in nice warm locales or to play with another star more than they sign with the seventh or eighth playoff team.  I have never recall a free agent saying I want to sign with the eighth seed.  For guys who think that a guy will sign here because we are winner then they  really have not looked at our record.  We made the playoffs but we are hardly a winner.

I think we have a better chance of luring a guy who wants to be the man, than on the basis of us being a winner.   We can present our team as his team, I just hope if Ainge  commits that it is a player of exceptional caliber.

I like CBS, he has created a culture where tanking is not expected and the team fights every night.

See Lance Stephenson, 2014.

Say what you will about him, but Stephenson was considered a top-tier free agent coming off his best season to date at the game's thinnest position. He signed a reasonable deal with an up-start Hornets team that had just caught some national media attention after over-achieving to an eighth seed because he thought he could be a major piece that team needed to keep getting better. That didn't work out that way so far, partly because of both Stephenson's and Clifford's personality, but it goes to show that good FA's want to play for teams on the rise. Heck, they even got Big Al a year earlier. And we have much more going for us with Stevens, Ainge, our collection of assets and a team of guys I'm sure will do everything they can to get more talent here. You can easily see these guys LOVE playing here, love playing for CBS and other guys see/hear that too.

And idk where this whole idea that you somehow need to be in a warm location, or that state income tax matters all that much. Most of these guys spend half the year or more living somewhere warm or their hometown, and playing for a team they want to play for is far more important. Same with the tax thing, I believe half their games are taxed in different states anyway as Ive read that many times before. Players do want to play with other good players but not every good player is trying to create a team if super-friends.

This is the first time we've actually had market value money available to spend on a top-tier FA. And I never thought I'd say this, but I like our chances much more to land a big FA now than before the Rondo/Green trades. We'll see what happens I guess.