Celtics (7-5) at Nets (2-11) Game #13 11/22/15

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

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[esel1000]

Terrible shot by Turner... quit relying on the 3

[Monkhouse]

Not having Smart makes a difference for the Celts' rotation.  One of the few guys it really hurts them to lose. 

Thomas, Amir, Smart, Crowder.  Hurts the Celts a lot to have any of those guys miss significant time.

I agree.

Smart's impact on defense really sets the tone. You can tell it in opposing point guards or shooting guards when their dribbling the ball at the top of the key or the perimeter, and how scared they seem to try to lose it.

I disagree. This game is more about Brooklyn's bench showing some life than anything.  Nets have been in a lot of close games against good teams this year.  Their bench has been non existent. 

I do think that a Thomas and Bradley back court is a defensive liability, though.  Too small.

Okay list the best bench players on the Nets, and compare it to half of the teams in the NBA....

I'll wait.

Because the Nets literally have no bench

Exactly.   Say what you will about Brooklyn, but their starting lineup has been a top 6 unit in the NBA this year.  It's their bench that has been disastrous.   

Larkin:  5 points and 5 assists in the first half... good sign for the young player
Barg:  10 points on 5/7 shooting.  Good sign for him.  He's averaging 5.4 points on 38% shooting this year off the bench, but is coming off a season in which he averaged 15 points on 45%/36%/81% shooting for the Knicks.
Robinson:  5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal.  He's been active.  He's actually been solid in limited minutes.

If Brooklyn starts getting consistent contribution from their bench, they could be a lot better than their record implies.

But they won't.

Which is what I'm telling you.

Robinson has been a journey man, because he has bounced around on teams due to having a negative attitude, no improved mid range, and other than rebounding, has no forte or moves that can contribute on an full fledged NBA roster.

Larkin has been traded from the Knicks, despite the fact they also needed a point guard. Clearly, they didn't see him or view him as a PG of their future, and was quickly traded away.

Bargnani? Nothing else needed to say.

Nothing short of a Lopez injury would be fatal to the Nets.

[PhoSita]

It's clear that the Nets are dictating the terms of this game, which is a 180 turn around from how the Celts have been winning games recently.

This is the worst sort of game for the Celts. 


Give credit to Hollins.  He prepared his team for this opponent, and his team is executing.

[Ilikesports17]

We can complain all we want about the officiating and point out that the Nets are, indeed, shooting way above their pay level. But they're winning by 17.

It's time to accept the fact that this Nets team simply isn't as bad as we hoped they would be. Their starting five is good enough to keep them in games and win a few if their opponent is off.

Mike

Hasn't this Nets team started poorly the last few years?  And each time they make a run late in the season when other teams stop caring and they sneak into the playoffs.

Am I misremembering that?

They have. I don't think that's going to happen this year, but I am thinking that top 5 pick could end up being in the 3-7 range. In a draft like this one, that could make a difference.

Mike

I don't really have any solid idea about what kind of draft this is, but the only guy who seems exciting so far is Simmons.

If we can't get him, I think my hopes are set on Poeltl, who I expect to be a solid defensive center.

From what Ive read (which isnt a ton) Simmons, Skal, Brown, and Ingram have pretty high ceilings.

[mr. dee]

Cut the deficit to 10 by the end of 3rd will give us momentum

[CelticSooner]

The upside of this game might be that people won't be so eager to scoff at the notion that Brooklyn is not the Sixersian tankfest we all want them to be.

Because they might beat the Celtics? They're 2-11. We have over 620 minutes of evidence they're terrible. They have a bottom 3 differential. They're not the the Sixers, but my word, you guys are persistent.

Confirmation bias. Nets are playing with pride for the beatdown from Friday.

Sure, but hopeless teams destined for a bottom of the league record tend not to play with pride, period.  Even if they do, they typically don't have the horses to compete, regardless.  That's been the story with the Sixers for years now.

Not sure who said they were hopeless. I still think that's a top 5 pick maybe top 3 if Lopez misses any time. That's all you can ask for at this point in time.

Around here it's been pretty consistent -- you are allowed to have one of two opinions.  You think the Nets will challenge for the worst record in the league, or you think they will make the playoffs.

There are no in-betweens.  Anything you say will get placed into one of those categories.

TP to you. I'm really hoping for that "challenge for the worst record" business, but they have at least a few players who can play. My biggest hope is that they have to go deep into their roster through the season. They only have a bit of leeway before they turn into the 76ers.

Mike

Ive long been consistent that the pick would convey in the 7-12 range but since the start of the season my opinion has changed a lot. Now Id probably predict 3-7.

I was starting to get excited about the prospect of getting a top 5 pick from Brooklyn but this game just jittered me back to paranoia.  There's 70 games left in this season. They played really well down the stretch last year.  If they start getting this kind of production from their bench nightly, they will win games.

One game changed your perception? You must think the C's are a top 4 team in the East then.

[esel1000]

I feel like the Nets are constantly bullying their way into the paint... the team defense has just been awful...

[LarBrd33]

Not having Smart makes a difference for the Celts' rotation.  One of the few guys it really hurts them to lose. 

Thomas, Amir, Smart, Crowder.  Hurts the Celts a lot to have any of those guys miss significant time.

I agree.

Smart's impact on defense really sets the tone. You can tell it in opposing point guards or shooting guards when their dribbling the ball at the top of the key or the perimeter, and how scared they seem to try to lose it.

I disagree. This game is more about Brooklyn's bench showing some life than anything.  Nets have been in a lot of close games against good teams this year.  Their bench has been non existent. 

I do think that a Thomas and Bradley back court is a defensive liability, though.  Too small.

Okay list the best bench players on the Nets, and compare it to half of the teams in the NBA....

I'll wait.

Because the Nets literally have no bench

Exactly.   Say what you will about Brooklyn, but their starting lineup has been a top 6 unit in the NBA this year.  It's their bench that has been disastrous.   

Larkin:  5 points and 5 assists in the first half... good sign for the young player
Barg:  10 points on 5/7 shooting.  Good sign for him.  He's averaging 5.4 points on 38% shooting this year off the bench, but is coming off a season in which he averaged 15 points on 45%/36%/81% shooting for the Knicks.
Robinson:  5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal.  He's been active.  He's actually been solid in limited minutes.

If Brooklyn starts getting consistent contribution from their bench, they could be a lot better than their record implies.

But they won't.

Which is what I'm telling you.

Robinson has been a journey man, because he has bounced around on teams due to having a negative attitude, no improved mid range, and other than rebounding, has no forte or moves that can contribute on an full fledged NBA roster.

Larkin has been traded from the Knicks, despite the fact they also needed a point guard. Clearly, they didn't see him or view him as a PG of their future, and was quickly traded away.

Bargnani? Nothing else needed to say.

Nothing short of a Lopez injury would be fatal to the Nets.

oh ok great.  Good to know this bench performance is just a fluke. 

[Walter Moss]

if no Smart means MINUS 20 with Nets
this team is going to have HUGE probs this season
next 4 weex will be so dissapointing for us

[PhoSita]

We can complain all we want about the officiating and point out that the Nets are, indeed, shooting way above their pay level. But they're winning by 17.

It's time to accept the fact that this Nets team simply isn't as bad as we hoped they would be. Their starting five is good enough to keep them in games and win a few if their opponent is off.

Mike

Hasn't this Nets team started poorly the last few years?  And each time they make a run late in the season when other teams stop caring and they sneak into the playoffs.

Am I misremembering that?

They have. I don't think that's going to happen this year, but I am thinking that top 5 pick could end up being in the 3-7 range. In a draft like this one, that could make a difference.

Mike

I don't really have any solid idea about what kind of draft this is, but the only guy who seems exciting so far is Simmons.

If we can't get him, I think my hopes are set on Poeltl, who I expect to be a solid defensive center.

From what Ive read (which isnt a ton) Simmons, Skal, Brown, and Ingram have pretty high ceilings.

Skal has yet to really impress me.  Brown looks good but hard to project with his suspect jumper.  Ingram is a stick figure.

Simmons is the only one I've watched and thought "Yeah, he's definitely gonna be a star."

[PhoSita]

Nice drive by ET. 

[CelticSooner]

Pace is picking up. Come on

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

ill kick ab's butt if he shoots 1 more time.

[LarBrd33]

On the flip side if Boston wins this, I'm not sure how Brooklyn returns from that emotionally.

They have already had a few heartbreaking losses this season.