NBA Season 2016-2017

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

Embiid and the 76ers have won 4 of their last 5 (barely lost to us).  Great for the Nets pick.   Simmons might be back within the next couple months.  They have been playing great since Noel returned.

Not possible. We have a losing culture.

The fact that we suddenly had a massive influx of talent including a 7'2 pterodactyl who can shoot 3s is irrelevant, the fact that once the talent assembled got healthy they improved dramatically is irrelevant. Nope the Sixers are winless regardless of wins this year because of culture.

What is a losing culture? ROFL if you don't know then you obviously have one, it's not something idiots make up because they can't logically refute losing games to acquire a Center who had an off night and went for 21 and 14.

I mean, congrats and all, but the team with the best record you've beaten in that time is the now 17-23 Knicks who are on a 10-game losing streak.  But yeah, being 5th-worst instead of absolute worst is progress of some sort.

This is still pretty clearly a bottom 5 team, probably bottom 3.

But... Where exactly do you think the Celtics would be right now if their starting PG and PF had played in a combined 71 minutes this year?

You think a:

Smart-Rozier
Bradley
Brown
Crowder
Johnson

Lineup is not bottom 10? Or maybe Brown sits for a 3 guard lineup, because those have worked great this year...

are you comparing Jeryd Balyss and a rookie Ben Simmons to Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford?

Is that really the point you are making?

On losing culture, Ive always felt it was bull**** in "learning how to win". I do believe it hinders player development. I think that both Okafor and Noel have seen their developments stunted by Phillys lack of competitive basketball. First, Philly often gets half-efforts from other teams. Second, the open tanking policy of the Sixers led to guys sitting out a ton of basketball and overall creating what I felt like was a negative atmosphere for player development.

I truly believe that, even on other bottom-feeders(except the Kings) both Noel and Okafor would have developed better even if they were on the same team.

However, this is just a casualty of the process. Any team would trade some prospect development to get Embiid and Simmons.

My conclusion: Losing culture exists and hurts teams, but can be wiped away in a second and doesnt hurt you in any lens outside of player development.

Article on playoff experience which is kinda similar to "winning culture"
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/04/does-playoff-experience-matter-belichick-says-no/

Pick any two starters you like.

What did the Celtics look like this year before they got healthy? Of course those two aren't as good as the C's guys, well Simmons probably isn't yet anyways.

There isn't a team not named the Warriors, Spurs or the Cavs that can just lose 40% of their lineup and hum right along.

I'd love to know whose development was hurt by this... The only issue we have had was a big man log jam which was because we picked a scrub in Okafor. Has nothing to do with the overall talent level of the team. Hinkie should have signed a slightly better PG for 15-16, but that's about it.

[RAAAAAAAANDY]

Embiid and the 76ers have won 4 of their last 5 (barely lost to us).  Great for the Nets pick.   Simmons might be back within the next couple months.  They have been playing great since Noel returned.

Not possible. We have a losing culture.

The fact that we suddenly had a massive influx of talent including a 7'2 pterodactyl who can shoot 3s is irrelevant, the fact that once the talent assembled got healthy they improved dramatically is irrelevant. Nope the Sixers are winless regardless of wins this year because of culture.

What is a losing culture? ROFL if you don't know then you obviously have one, it's not something idiots make up because they can't logically refute losing games to acquire a Center who had an off night and went for 21 and 14.

This guy serious?



You won 50 games over the past three seasons and had 3 shots at a good NBA center, you finally stumbled across a really good one, and you're suddenly under the impression that there was never a culture of losing?

It was well worth that 3 years of being a laughing stock. You're so close to that elusive championship now. Its just around the corner.

And you're closer? 

You've been blasted out of the first round two years in a row, you're a year away from tossing max money to a 5'9 guard who relies on his athleticism to score, your 2nd best player is making 30 million dollars in a bid for him to peak at his previous career apex which was a non-competitive ECF with LeBron, and you basically are playing the same "dear god please let us win the lottery this year" game we played for the last 3 with the illusion of "contending" in the mean time.

What exactly is a culture of losing? The team lost because the few good players they had good were hurt, they had an empty cupboard thanks to the Bynum trade and they didn't shoot their wad on the Aaron Afflalo and Marco Belinelli's of the world to pretend like this was going to be anything other than a long process.

Losing culture is nonsense idiots made up so they could thump their chests over a pair of sub 50 win seasons in which the Celtics got run off the court in the first round despite playing in the weaker NBA conference. Huzzah!

Guess what? I played that game for half a decade with Iverson following the Finals run, it doesn't mean anything.

Boohoo. I'm sorry that my team wins games and lets me enjoy myself while we still get good picks in the draft. Your team without two 29 year old vets is still god awful. Don't get delusions of grandeur of your "young developing roster".

And yes, having a team that makes playoffs and has playoff experience is far closer to winning another championship than a cellar dwellar with zero experience of high pressure situations. That is basic, simple logic.

Thanks for repeatedly melting so hard on another team's board though. Its been a gas to read.

Your playoff experience consists of proving two times over that you're not good enough to win against contenders... 

So you're closer to what again? going for the trifecta of playoff inadequacy? 

And on the topic of good picks... Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, Kelly O, RJ Hunter, James Young, Terry Roz, Jordan Mickey, and Eurostash guys from a weak draft who we'll have to wait on because we don't really know much about the yet.

Who are these good picks again? The two best are probably Marcus Smart (not a starter in his 3rd season, can't throw a rock in the ocean) and Jaylen Brown (wasn't good in college). Have fun with that.

[jpotter33]

Embiid and the 76ers have won 4 of their last 5 (barely lost to us).  Great for the Nets pick.   Simmons might be back within the next couple months.  They have been playing great since Noel returned.

Not possible. We have a losing culture.

The fact that we suddenly had a massive influx of talent including a 7'2 pterodactyl who can shoot 3s is irrelevant, the fact that once the talent assembled got healthy they improved dramatically is irrelevant. Nope the Sixers are winless regardless of wins this year because of culture.

What is a losing culture? ROFL if you don't know then you obviously have one, it's not something idiots make up because they can't logically refute losing games to acquire a Center who had an off night and went for 21 and 14.

LOL! You want proof that there's a losing culture in Philly - you're over here bragging about a .306 winning percentage with a record of 11-25. lol The proof is in the pudding.

This coming from a fanbase that has been thumping it's chest about 1st round playoff exits and Kevin Durant not signing here but saying nice things after he shot down their offer?

Ok then.

More like this coming from a fanbase that has 17 championships to a measly 3 championships; been in the playoffs the last two years; won more games last year than you did in the previous three years; and is currently beating you in the tankathon race, all while being the third best team in the East compared to the third worst team in the NBA. 

It's going to be hilarious when the Sixers' actual taste of not completely sucking this year makes them fall back to fifth in the draft and you're yet again unable to add a competent guard to that mismatched roster of yours. Have fun with TJ freaking McConnell hitting game winners for you guys to put you even futher out of reach of having any actual NBA guards! 

Yes. Fail to add a competent guard with the 5th pick. You do realize that like 5 of the top 7 prospects are point guards or combo guards? And the other two guys would still fit in our lineup? And we have the Lakers pick. And an unprotected Kings pick in '19. And a ton of cap space. But yeah, that's tragic.

And I love citing championships from the Vietnam war era like they've in any way affected either of us. In my life the Celtics have made two Finals and won one championship, the Sixers have made 1 finals and lost. Ohhhhh nooooo. You're the basketball equivalent of a Yankees fan bragging about Babe Ruth, or a Ford F-150 driver bragging about the Model T. Nobody cares.

Lol salty Sixers fans are funny. Though I don't blame you for being salty; all that losing takes a toll on even the best men. Just keep on #TrustingtheProcess. 

[saltlover]

I hope Ainge is calling the Sixers for Noel.

For reals. He'd help us so, so much, and we certainly need it with how terrible we've been defensively and on the boards.

I think we can really challenge Toronto in the playoffs with a Noel upgrade.

I'm sure teams including Boston have asked about Noel, but until someone makes a worthwhile offer, there's no incentive for Philly to trade him.

The incentive is that his value becomes less and less as time goes on. 

His value has actually gotten higher and higher daily since he returned.  Philly is playing their best basketball in a long time with him back in the fold and he's putting up pretty outstanding numbers.  Also, he's showing signs of a mid-range shot which is kind of shocking if it's legitimate.

He's putting up per-36 stats of 19.1 points (way up) 8.4 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 1.6 blocks with 60% shooting (way up) and 67% from the line (way up).   

Small sample size, but if that continues and Philly keeps looking decent, his trade value will continue to increase heading into the trade deadline.

Philly might as well just keep him if nobody gives them a decent offer.  He could be the best backup big in the league next season if that's the role they want him for.

Are we just ignoring the report that he doesn't want to be a backup and wants to get a max contract today? Also nobody's value fluctuates daily. That is a bit absurd. I am pretty sure you are referencing about 9 mid range jump shots so far this season. I think there is a chance he could improve his shooting range cause many players have done this successfully. However, nobody is wildly adjusting their reports on him off of 9 shots.

Of course he is, because it doesn't fit his entire narrative this whole time. I literally just posted all of that stuff from Kyler, and he just ignored it and reaffirmed his original position lol Classic LarBrd33! Even some of the more objective LibertyBallers posters were chastising other posters about selectively ignoring reports of Noel not wanting to stay in Philly or be a backup for them.

I don't know who this Kyler guy is, but I checked his twitter and the only recent Philly post I see is him declaring Ben Simmons and Nerlens Noel "the stars" of Philly and suggesting everyone else needs to be traded. 



Sounds like if Philly listened to Kyler, Joel Embiid would be on his way out the door and Noel would be the franchise center. 

*shrug*

What's clear is that Noel's trade value is has at least doubled in the past month and Philly is gelling.  Your very own Kyler considers him a star.  If he ends up in the backup 25-30 minute per night role (similar to Marcus Smart here), maybe it works out for them long-term.   With Embiid as a budding future superstar, Noel would probably be the best backup center in the league.  They'd have 48 minutes per night of elite big man defense.

That's just a typo by Kyler.  He obviously meant Embiid and Simmons are the stars, not Noel.  He literally said in his immediately preceding tweet: "the vibe I got from the situation is 76ers will move Nerlens before the deadline."  For someone who's so good at finding tweets, you could at least look one tweet down...

i think that just speaks to how rapidly trade value changes over time. Within a matter of minutes Kyler went from blindly speculating that Noel would be traded to suddenly changing his mind and calling Noel one of the team's only two untradeable stars.  Sounds like this kyler guy had a change of heart.

I don't know why you pretend to be obtuse just to try to prove a point.  Back to ignoring you as I normally do -- these forums would be better if others ignored you too.

[RockinRyA]

Embiid and the 76ers have won 4 of their last 5 (barely lost to us).  Great for the Nets pick.   Simmons might be back within the next couple months.  They have been playing great since Noel returned.

Not possible. We have a losing culture.

The fact that we suddenly had a massive influx of talent including a 7'2 pterodactyl who can shoot 3s is irrelevant, the fact that once the talent assembled got healthy they improved dramatically is irrelevant. Nope the Sixers are winless regardless of wins this year because of culture.

What is a losing culture? ROFL if you don't know then you obviously have one, it's not something idiots make up because they can't logically refute losing games to acquire a Center who had an off night and went for 21 and 14.

This guy serious?



You won 50 games over the past three seasons and had 3 shots at a good NBA center, you finally stumbled across a really good one, and you're suddenly under the impression that there was never a culture of losing?

It was well worth that 3 years of being a laughing stock. You're so close to that elusive championship now. Its just around the corner.

And you're closer? 

You've been blasted out of the first round two years in a row, you're a year away from tossing max money to a 5'9 guard who relies on his athleticism to score, your 2nd best player is making 30 million dollars in a bid for him to peak at his previous career apex which was a non-competitive ECF with LeBron, and you basically are playing the same "dear god please let us win the lottery this year" game we played for the last 3 with the illusion of "contending" in the mean time.

What exactly is a culture of losing? The team lost because the few good players they had good were hurt, they had an empty cupboard thanks to the Bynum trade and they didn't shoot their wad on the Aaron Afflalo and Marco Belinelli's of the world to pretend like this was going to be anything other than a long process.

Losing culture is nonsense idiots made up so they could thump their chests over a pair of sub 50 win seasons in which the Celtics got run off the court in the first round despite playing in the weaker NBA conference. Huzzah!

Guess what? I played that game for half a decade with Iverson following the Finals run, it doesn't mean anything.

Boohoo. I'm sorry that my team wins games and lets me enjoy myself while we still get good picks in the draft. Your team without two 29 year old vets is still god awful. Don't get delusions of grandeur of your "young developing roster".

And yes, having a team that makes playoffs and has playoff experience is far closer to winning another championship than a cellar dwellar with zero experience of high pressure situations. That is basic, simple logic.

Thanks for repeatedly melting so hard on another team's board though. Its been a gas to read.

Your playoff experience consists of proving two times over that you're not good enough to win against contenders... 

So you're closer to what again? going for the trifecta of playoff inadequacy? 

And on the topic of good picks... Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, Kelly O, RJ Hunter, James Young, Terry Roz, Jordan Mickey, and Eurostash guys from a weak draft who we'll have to wait on because we don't really know much about the yet.

Who are these good picks again? The two best are probably Marcus Smart (not a starter in his 3rd season, can't throw a rock in the ocean) and Jaylen Brown (wasn't good in college). Have fun with that.

You clearly dont know anything. Marcus Smart would be a starter if not for 2 very good players ahead of him. One of which is an all-star and another an all defensive team member. Heck he even finishes games. Smart is valued very highly by Stevens that he has opted to use him out of position just to play him.

I guess you enjoy losing though, congrats to that.

[LarBrd33]

I hope Ainge is calling the Sixers for Noel.

For reals. He'd help us so, so much, and we certainly need it with how terrible we've been defensively and on the boards.

I think we can really challenge Toronto in the playoffs with a Noel upgrade.

I'm sure teams including Boston have asked about Noel, but until someone makes a worthwhile offer, there's no incentive for Philly to trade him.

The incentive is that his value becomes less and less as time goes on. 

His value has actually gotten higher and higher daily since he returned.  Philly is playing their best basketball in a long time with him back in the fold and he's putting up pretty outstanding numbers.  Also, he's showing signs of a mid-range shot which is kind of shocking if it's legitimate.

He's putting up per-36 stats of 19.1 points (way up) 8.4 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 1.6 blocks with 60% shooting (way up) and 67% from the line (way up).   

Small sample size, but if that continues and Philly keeps looking decent, his trade value will continue to increase heading into the trade deadline.

Philly might as well just keep him if nobody gives them a decent offer.  He could be the best backup big in the league next season if that's the role they want him for.

Are we just ignoring the report that he doesn't want to be a backup and wants to get a max contract today? Also nobody's value fluctuates daily. That is a bit absurd. I am pretty sure you are referencing about 9 mid range jump shots so far this season. I think there is a chance he could improve his shooting range cause many players have done this successfully. However, nobody is wildly adjusting their reports on him off of 9 shots.

Of course he is, because it doesn't fit his entire narrative this whole time. I literally just posted all of that stuff from Kyler, and he just ignored it and reaffirmed his original position lol Classic LarBrd33! Even some of the more objective LibertyBallers posters were chastising other posters about selectively ignoring reports of Noel not wanting to stay in Philly or be a backup for them.

I don't know who this Kyler guy is, but I checked his twitter and the only recent Philly post I see is him declaring Ben Simmons and Nerlens Noel "the stars" of Philly and suggesting everyone else needs to be traded. 



Sounds like if Philly listened to Kyler, Joel Embiid would be on his way out the door and Noel would be the franchise center. 

*shrug*

What's clear is that Noel's trade value is has at least doubled in the past month and Philly is gelling.  Your very own Kyler considers him a star.  If he ends up in the backup 25-30 minute per night role (similar to Marcus Smart here), maybe it works out for them long-term.   With Embiid as a budding future superstar, Noel would probably be the best backup center in the league.  They'd have 48 minutes per night of elite big man defense.

That's just a typo by Kyler.  He obviously meant Embiid and Simmons are the stars, not Noel.  He literally said in his immediately preceding tweet: "the vibe I got from the situation is 76ers will move Nerlens before the deadline."  For someone who's so good at finding tweets, you could at least look one tweet down...

i think that just speaks to how rapidly trade value changes over time. Within a matter of minutes Kyler went from blindly speculating that Noel would be traded to suddenly changing his mind and calling Noel one of the team's only two untradeable stars.  Sounds like this kyler guy had a change of heart.

I don't know why you pretend to be obtuse just to try to prove a point.  Back to ignoring you as I normally do -- these forums would be better if others ignored you too.

obtuse?  I'm just telling you that this situation changes from second to second and kyler's most recent tweet that Noel is an untradeable star reflects that.    Potter was sharing obsolete information.  Here's the latest from Noel himself:  http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20170113_Noel__definitely_satisfied__with_role_on_Sixers.html?mobi=true

"At this moment in time, I'm definitely satisfied with where I'm at and the team's rotation," Noel said. "I think I'm able to go out there and still affect the game, change the game multiple ways."

That settles that.

Believe it or not, the former Kentucky standout appears to be the happiest he has been as a Sixer. A lot has to do with the team's improved play. He enjoys his teammates.

"This probably has been the closest team I've been on since I've been a Sixer," he said. "So I think that definitely speaks for itself."

Maybe things will change again, but right now it looks like sunshine and rainbows in Philly.

[tankcity!]

I hope Ainge is calling the Sixers for Noel.

For reals. He'd help us so, so much, and we certainly need it with how terrible we've been defensively and on the boards.

I think we can really challenge Toronto in the playoffs with a Noel upgrade.

I'm sure teams including Boston have asked about Noel, but until someone makes a worthwhile offer, there's no incentive for Philly to trade him.

The incentive is that his value becomes less and less as time goes on. 

His value has actually gotten higher and higher daily since he returned.  Philly is playing their best basketball in a long time with him back in the fold and he's putting up pretty outstanding numbers.  Also, he's showing signs of a mid-range shot which is kind of shocking if it's legitimate.

He's putting up per-36 stats of 19.1 points (way up) 8.4 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 1.6 blocks with 60% shooting (way up) and 67% from the line (way up).   

Small sample size, but if that continues and Philly keeps looking decent, his trade value will continue to increase heading into the trade deadline.

Philly might as well just keep him if nobody gives them a decent offer.  He could be the best backup big in the league next season if that's the role they want him for.

Are we just ignoring the report that he doesn't want to be a backup and wants to get a max contract today? Also nobody's value fluctuates daily. That is a bit absurd. I am pretty sure you are referencing about 9 mid range jump shots so far this season. I think there is a chance he could improve his shooting range cause many players have done this successfully. However, nobody is wildly adjusting their reports on him off of 9 shots.

Of course he is, because it doesn't fit his entire narrative this whole time. I literally just posted all of that stuff from Kyler, and he just ignored it and reaffirmed his original position lol Classic LarBrd33! Even some of the more objective LibertyBallers posters were chastising other posters about selectively ignoring reports of Noel not wanting to stay in Philly or be a backup for them.

I don't know who this Kyler guy is, but I checked his twitter and the only recent Philly post I see is him declaring Ben Simmons and Nerlens Noel "the stars" of Philly and suggesting everyone else needs to be traded. 



Sounds like if Philly listened to Kyler, Joel Embiid would be on his way out the door and Noel would be the franchise center. 

*shrug*

What's clear is that Noel's trade value is has at least doubled in the past month and Philly is gelling.  Your very own Kyler considers him a star.  If he ends up in the backup 25-30 minute per night role (similar to Marcus Smart here), maybe it works out for them long-term.   With Embiid as a budding future superstar, Noel would probably be the best backup center in the league.  They'd have 48 minutes per night of elite big man defense.

That's just a typo by Kyler.  He obviously meant Embiid and Simmons are the stars, not Noel.  He literally said in his immediately preceding tweet: "the vibe I got from the situation is 76ers will move Nerlens before the deadline."  For someone who's so good at finding tweets, you could at least look one tweet down...

i think that just speaks to how rapidly trade value changes over time. Within a matter of minutes Kyler went from blindly speculating that Noel would be traded to suddenly changing his mind and calling Noel one of the team's only two untradeable stars.  Sounds like this kyler guy had a change of heart.

I don't know why you pretend to be obtuse just to try to prove a point.  Back to ignoring you as I normally do -- these forums would be better if others ignored you too.

obtuse?  I'm just telling you that this situation changes from second to second and kyler's most recent tweet that Noel is an untradeable star reflects that.    Potter was sharing obsolete information.  Here's the latest from Noel himself:  http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20170113_Noel__definitely_satisfied__with_role_on_Sixers.html?mobi=true

"At this moment in time, I'm definitely satisfied with where I'm at and the team's rotation," Noel said. "I think I'm able to go out there and still affect the game, change the game multiple ways."

That settles that.

Believe it or not, the former Kentucky standout appears to be the happiest he has been as a Sixer. A lot has to do with the team's improved play. He enjoys his teammates.

"This probably has been the closest team I've been on since I've been a Sixer," he said. "So I think that definitely speaks for itself."

Maybe things will change again, but right now it looks like sunshine and rainbows in Philly.

Lol

[green_bballers13]

LB, does it feel good being the guy that roots for a tankathon? Don't you feel the need to take a shower?

To me, the Philly situation is fraud. Not for us as Celtics fans- I love that they've thrown away half a decade. If you're a casual Philly fan, it can't be easy to pay decent $ to go to the arena since Evan Turner was on the team. I'm sure diehards love the assets they've acquired. I'm also sure that many casual fans have stopped watching their hometown basketball team.

[celticsclay]

I hope Ainge is calling the Sixers for Noel.

For reals. He'd help us so, so much, and we certainly need it with how terrible we've been defensively and on the boards.

I think we can really challenge Toronto in the playoffs with a Noel upgrade.

I'm sure teams including Boston have asked about Noel, but until someone makes a worthwhile offer, there's no incentive for Philly to trade him.

The incentive is that his value becomes less and less as time goes on. 

His value has actually gotten higher and higher daily since he returned.  Philly is playing their best basketball in a long time with him back in the fold and he's putting up pretty outstanding numbers.  Also, he's showing signs of a mid-range shot which is kind of shocking if it's legitimate.

He's putting up per-36 stats of 19.1 points (way up) 8.4 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 1.6 blocks with 60% shooting (way up) and 67% from the line (way up).   

Small sample size, but if that continues and Philly keeps looking decent, his trade value will continue to increase heading into the trade deadline.

Philly might as well just keep him if nobody gives them a decent offer.  He could be the best backup big in the league next season if that's the role they want him for.

Are we just ignoring the report that he doesn't want to be a backup and wants to get a max contract today? Also nobody's value fluctuates daily. That is a bit absurd. I am pretty sure you are referencing about 9 mid range jump shots so far this season. I think there is a chance he could improve his shooting range cause many players have done this successfully. However, nobody is wildly adjusting their reports on him off of 9 shots.

Of course he is, because it doesn't fit his entire narrative this whole time. I literally just posted all of that stuff from Kyler, and he just ignored it and reaffirmed his original position lol Classic LarBrd33! Even some of the more objective LibertyBallers posters were chastising other posters about selectively ignoring reports of Noel not wanting to stay in Philly or be a backup for them.

I don't know who this Kyler guy is, but I checked his twitter and the only recent Philly post I see is him declaring Ben Simmons and Nerlens Noel "the stars" of Philly and suggesting everyone else needs to be traded. 



Sounds like if Philly listened to Kyler, Joel Embiid would be on his way out the door and Noel would be the franchise center. 

*shrug*

What's clear is that Noel's trade value is has at least doubled in the past month and Philly is gelling.  Your very own Kyler considers him a star.  If he ends up in the backup 25-30 minute per night role (similar to Marcus Smart here), maybe it works out for them long-term.   With Embiid as a budding future superstar, Noel would probably be the best backup center in the league.  They'd have 48 minutes per night of elite big man defense.

That's just a typo by Kyler.  He obviously meant Embiid and Simmons are the stars, not Noel.  He literally said in his immediately preceding tweet: "the vibe I got from the situation is 76ers will move Nerlens before the deadline."  For someone who's so good at finding tweets, you could at least look one tweet down...

LB the schtick on this is pretty weak sauce. Running with a typo is not your best material (and i like some of your material)

[LarBrd33]

LB, does it feel good being the guy that roots for a tankathon? Don't you feel the need to take a shower?

To me, the Philly situation is fraud. Not for us as Celtics fans- I love that they've thrown away half a decade. If you're a casual Philly fan, it can't be easy to pay decent $ to go to the arena since Evan Turner was on the team. I'm sure diehards love the assets they've acquired. I'm also sure that many casual fans have stopped watching their hometown basketball team.

I'm not rooting for Boston to tank.  Yes, I fully embraced their tankathon in 2013-14 (still holding out hope Smart develops into a star), but I jumped on board the playoff bandwagon mid-way through their botched attempt at tanking in 2014-15. 

[celticsclay]

LB, does it feel good being the guy that roots for a tankathon? Don't you feel the need to take a shower?

To me, the Philly situation is fraud. Not for us as Celtics fans- I love that they've thrown away half a decade. If you're a casual Philly fan, it can't be easy to pay decent $ to go to the arena since Evan Turner was on the team. I'm sure diehards love the assets they've acquired. I'm also sure that many casual fans have stopped watching their hometown basketball team.

I'm not rooting for Boston to tank.  Yes, I fully embraced their tankathon in 2013-14 (still holding out hope Smart develops into a star), but I jumped on board the playoff bandwagon mid-way through their botched attempt at tanking in 2014-15.

Do you feel the need to take a shower though? I liked that question.

[LarBrd33]

LB, does it feel good being the guy that roots for a tankathon? Don't you feel the need to take a shower?

To me, the Philly situation is fraud. Not for us as Celtics fans- I love that they've thrown away half a decade. If you're a casual Philly fan, it can't be easy to pay decent $ to go to the arena since Evan Turner was on the team. I'm sure diehards love the assets they've acquired. I'm also sure that many casual fans have stopped watching their hometown basketball team.

I'm not rooting for Boston to tank.  Yes, I fully embraced their tankathon in 2013-14 (still holding out hope Smart develops into a star), but I jumped on board the playoff bandwagon mid-way through their botched attempt at tanking in 2014-15.

Do you feel the need to take a shower though? I liked that question.

If you're asking if I feel dirty for acknowledging the benefits of tanking - of course not.  The only championship the Celtics have over the past 30 years is a direct result of "tanking".   More than any other team sport, one player can be the difference between a bottomfeeder and contender.  As long as the best prospects come into the league via a draft that incentivizes losing, gutting your roster and allowing it to bottom out is always going to be an intelligent move for teams with no better path towards acquiring superstars.

[LarBrd33]

LB, does it feel good being the guy that roots for a tankathon? Don't you feel the need to take a shower?

To me, the Philly situation is fraud. Not for us as Celtics fans- I love that they've thrown away half a decade. If you're a casual Philly fan, it can't be easy to pay decent $ to go to the arena since Evan Turner was on the team. I'm sure diehards love the assets they've acquired. I'm also sure that many casual fans have stopped watching their hometown basketball team.

I'm not rooting for Boston to tank.  Yes, I fully embraced their tankathon in 2013-14 (still holding out hope Smart develops into a star), but I jumped on board the playoff bandwagon mid-way through their botched attempt at tanking in 2014-15.

Do you feel the need to take a shower though? I liked that question.

If you're asking if I feel dirty for acknowledging the benefits of tanking - of course not.  The only championship the Celtics have over the past 30 years is a direct result of "tanking".   More than any other team sport, one player can be the difference between a bottomfeeder and contender.  As long as the best prospects come into the league via a draft that incentivizes losing, gutting your roster and allowing it to bottom out is always going to be an intelligent move for teams with no better path towards acquiring superstars.

Consider what many deem our best trade assets:  Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, 2017 Brooklyn 1st, 2018 Brooklyn 1st.   Every single one of them is a direct result of this team having a losing record.  Likewise with the player many consider our best right now - Isaiah Thomas.    Every single one of those assets were the result of us losing.

[hpantazo]

Embiid and the Sixers are about to beat Charlotte tonight. The Sixers are starting to string wins together. They will only get better once Simmons starts playing soon too.

[celticsclay]

LB, does it feel good being the guy that roots for a tankathon? Don't you feel the need to take a shower?

To me, the Philly situation is fraud. Not for us as Celtics fans- I love that they've thrown away half a decade. If you're a casual Philly fan, it can't be easy to pay decent $ to go to the arena since Evan Turner was on the team. I'm sure diehards love the assets they've acquired. I'm also sure that many casual fans have stopped watching their hometown basketball team.

I'm not rooting for Boston to tank.  Yes, I fully embraced their tankathon in 2013-14 (still holding out hope Smart develops into a star), but I jumped on board the playoff bandwagon mid-way through their botched attempt at tanking in 2014-15.

Do you feel the need to take a shower though? I liked that question.

If you're asking if I feel dirty for acknowledging the benefits of tanking - of course not.  The only championship the Celtics have over the past 30 years is a direct result of "tanking".   More than any other team sport, one player can be the difference between a bottomfeeder and contender.  As long as the best prospects come into the league via a draft that incentivizes losing, gutting your roster and allowing it to bottom out is always going to be an intelligent move for teams with no better path towards acquiring superstars.

Consider what many deem our best trade assets:  Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, 2017 Brooklyn 1st, 2018 Brooklyn 1st.   Every single one of them is a direct result of this team having a losing record.  Likewise with the player many consider our best right now - Isaiah Thomas.    Every single one of those assets were the result of us losing.

I was just asking if you felt like taking a shower