Was this playoff appearance worth it?

[nicknorman]

I'm not sure we're all that "up and coming", yet. I see the Pelicans with AD beating the Warriors tonight and think THAT is up and coming

I love that this quote is here. It just shows what an amazing comeback the Warriors had.

[ChainSmokingLikeDino]

For the umpteenth time, I'd like to point out that noting the uncertainty of the rebuild, and expressing the opinion that making the playoffs probably won't make a significant difference long term, is not equivalent to "lottery or bust, ping pong balls to the extreme."

Right, but you posit the opposite as a certainty. And it is just as uncertain. You seem ideologicaly attached to the lottery as an absolute value. I don't think anything is certain. What I am not doing is dismissing the advanced development of this team, against the perceived timeline, as being a neccesarily bad thing.

The Pelicans are certain to be a relevant team, with a shot at 50 wins, so long as Davis stays healthy.

So it's not a certainty, but they have a clear focus for their team.  If they have success, it will be with Davis leading the way, and they've got him for at least another 5 or 6 years.

Yeah, Anthony Davis is one of the best players in The NBA. I'd still argue that organization ain't so hot all around. And if anything they are probably languishing in your dreaded mid-area for awhile without some serious changes. Anthony Davis is great. What is around him isn't. And if one can extrapolate your position, being a bottom seed in the west consistently isn't admirable.

That also doesn't answer the question of what you posit as a plan, or seeing worth in somethign different than your vision. I don't even know what you think. you dismiss any progress made, and you dismiss lottery (maybe? can't tell). So, what is your idea of a plan. Yes, getting a player to build around is needed. What I don't get is that you seem to think The Celtics have zero chance of that where they are. They have tons of assists, a fantastic coach (who is getting exposure----yeah, that really isn't a bad thing)....why can't that lead to something positive, to getting that key component. If that answer is getting an Anthony Davis, well, tanking this year probably isn't leading to that. An Anthony Davis is a once every 10 drafts player. So, in reality, why is the direction The Celtics are going in destined for mediocraty? Is it a possibility? Sure. Does making the playoffs curse them to that decidedly? No. And claiming it does is shortsighted  and tunnel-visioned.

[aporel#18]

Absolutely.

Getting these kids the chance to give everything they have against the King and his crew is good for everyone even if we get swept.

It's good for the fans, because it shows the talent gap, but also the big balls our kids have.

It's good for Coach, because he's building a reputation, and this will help down the road.

It's good for the Players, because they're getting to know what it is to play 5 on 8 against a far better team. They'll remember these games when the Celtics are more talented and this chip on their shoulders will only help their competitive fire.

It's good for Danny, because of trade values rising a bit.

Celtics weren't getting Towns anyway. Use the picks wisely and keep developing the pieces until the right offer presents.

Go Celtics!

[Casperian]

For the umpteenth time, I'd like to point out that noting the uncertainty of the rebuild, and expressing the opinion that making the playoffs probably won't make a significant difference long term, is not equivalent to "lottery or bust, ping pong balls to the extreme."

Right, but you posit the opposite as a certainty. And it is just as uncertain. You seem ideologicaly attached to the lottery as an absolute value. I don't think anything is certain. What I am not doing is dismissing the advanced development of this team, against the perceived timeline, as being a neccesarily bad thing.

The Pelicans are certain to be a relevant team, with a shot at 50 wins, so long as Davis stays healthy.

So it's not a certainty, but they have a clear focus for their team.  If they have success, it will be with Davis leading the way, and they've got him for at least another 5 or 6 years.

Right.
All we have to do is win the lottery when a transcendent talent comes along.

Easy peasy

[JHTruth]

Remember when Pels winning game 3 over GSW meant they were more up and coming...


Funny thing, I wanted them to win. I want to see more fight in the first round, some underdog needs to win a few.

They have a franchise center and a talented roster. We have some nice role plAyers. No contest..

[Rakulp]

It ain't over yet



...but to play along with the OP, as Stone Cold use to say HELL YEAH!

Last year was the earth shattering first year.  A new coach comes in and gets his feet wet in the NBA.  Familiar faces are gone.  And the playoffs are somebody else's party.

This year, despite dealing what was considered to be our two best players, the combination of a coach getting more comfortable and a group of players that decided to beat the odds and make the playoffs.  As many have said before me...this series is a showcase to the NBA.  We're coming back...and sooner than later.

Others can worship the ping pong balls all they want...they've never been kind to us in the past.  I'd rather go out there and play some more games and use the experience as motivation towards next year.

No contest...worth it.

Rak

[LarBrd33]

Sweep was expected.  Team isn't good, but our coach is terrific.  Most tangible benefit of making the playoffs was keeping brad Stevens engaged and his players committed to him.  I've seen a lot of great coaches lose their players.  Regardless of the sweep, I think the players believe in Stevens.  Listened to Simmons/rose podcast recently and they said Stevens will be back in college within the next couple years.  Making the playoffs probably ensures that he stays another season. If Ainge works some magic and gets some real talent here, maybe this will work out.  Not a given though.  A couple more sub 500 seasons and we might have a completely new regime.   Ainge is going to need to land a big fish or two soon. 

Beyond that it's a bunch of overstated nonsense.  Having an extra week of losing basketball does very little to help the players long-term.  If anything it just hurts their confidence and humbles them.  If they react to it by going extra hard this summer, maybe it'll be a good thing.  Buts it's not like an extra 4 losses will have some grand developmental effects.   

Also, slight chance we can spin the "rising team/great coach/refusal to tank/winning atmosphere" storyline in our free agent pitches this summer.  Maybe a star player who wants out will reluctantly include Boston on their "acceptable trade destination" list. 

If you're asking me if the Charlotte Hornets are in a better position having finished with roughly the same record and having the 9th best draft odds, the answer is "probably"... But I like our coach and hope we can convince him to stay.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Remember when Pels winning game 3 over GSW meant they were more up and coming...


Funny thing, I wanted them to win. I want to see more fight in the first round, some underdog needs to win a few.

They have a franchise center and a talented roster. We have some nice role plAyers. No contest..

No one is arguing whether they have a franchise player. It's just funny that they are what up and coming is and they are still doing what our inferior team is doing, losing 0-3. They are up and coming but it doesn't mean we are poop on a stick. A lot of teams have had a franchise player, a lot of those players leave those teams w/o a chip.

[inverselock]

Remember when Pels winning game 3 over GSW meant they were more up and coming...


Funny thing, I wanted them to win. I want to see more fight in the first round, some underdog needs to win a few.

They have a franchise center and a talented roster. We have some nice role plAyers. No contest..

Other than Davis they are fairly ordinary.  We beat them  both games this year. Despite having Asik and Davis,  they conceded  the 2nd most points in the paint.   We were 5th worst without a single shot blocker and they had 2.   How is that possible?

[csfansince60s]

The answer to the question posed by the OP is "it depends on who you are"

To the vendors, concessionaires, local bars and parking lots....yes.

To the fans who are "just happy to be here" even knowing we didn't have a prayer in the world against the Cavs.....but we're still entertained....yes

To Danny  and Wyc given their comments during the last week of the season....I think there was a lot of ambivalence there with Danny leaning towards no and Wyc perhaps leaning yes for the revenues the playoffs produc

To the fans who wanted our team to fight like crazy and to just miss the playoffs (and that's not the perjorative "tanking" by the way) so the team would have the far more valuable asset 10th pick vs the 16th pick....absolutely not.

The 10th pick is far more valuable as an asset than the 16th in terms of trading up or using in a package for a piece for the future. And there was always the chance, as slight as it might have been, that the 10th became something better via the lottery. And if we used the 10th pick ourselves, our chances of getting a rotation player there would have been greater than at 16.

The pro-playoff People speciously argue that we can still move up for someone Danny likes or trade for a piece with all the picks "that we'll never use " at our disposal. I would argue that if we had 10 vs 16, it would cost us fewer assets, and the assets/picks we could've saved could have been used to get other pieces.

[furball]

Nope.  Not even close. 

[GratefulCs]

You'ree dang right it's worth it!


If we don't keep progressing, CBS might leave us



We'll keep chipping away



Danny knows what he's doing. He's better at this than anyone of us here on CB



Time for the Roy Orbison shades of future glory 

[PhoSita]

That also doesn't answer the question of what you posit as a plan, or seeing worth in somethign different than your vision. I don't even know what you think. you dismiss any progress made, and you dismiss lottery (maybe? can't tell). So, what is your idea of a plan.

I don't believe the Celts are certain to be mired in mediocrity.  In fact, I believe in Danny Ainge to find a way to the promised land again.

I just can't figure out a plausible path to get there right now.  It's too murky.  I spend so much time wracking my brain trying to figure out how the Celtics are going to become exciting and genuinely competitive again, and I just don't know.  There's too much uncertainty.  That's frustrating.

I'm sure there were plenty of Rockets fans that felt the same way a few years ago.  A smart GM with assets and resources can make good stuff happen in just a few years time.  But the Celts might not get lucky.  We don't know.

I suppose it just bothers me when I feel that others are acting like there's a clear path, or that it's a sure thing.  Because I don't see it.  That's not to say it won't happen.  But I can appreciate what people find appealing about the Sixers, and especially the Pelicans.  Because the plan there is strikingly obvious, even if it is uncertain.

[max215]

Definitely. Great experience for the guys and helped to clear up (in my mind) who belongs on the team and in what capacity. Not to mention, this renewed a Cavs rivalry for these guys. Hopefully Smart and Crowder will despise the Cavs and LeBron for the next 5 years, hopefully this series made it personal for our young guys.

[GratefulCs]

Definitely. Great experience for the guys and helped to clear up (in my mind) who belongs on the team and in what capacity. Not to mention, this renewed a Cavs rivalry for these guys. Hopefully Smart and Crowder will despise the Cavs and LeBron for the next 5 years, hopefully this series made it personal for our young guys.

It definitely got chippy out there



Love when it gets personal



Unfortunately he nba is about to crack down on hgh users. So we won't get the chance to face lebron again