So Are We Like The "Surprising" 2014-2015 Hawks Team Now?

[Phantom255x]

Now please, don't bash me for saying that, but it's an interesting thought.

Obviously both teams have vastly different rosters/players (besides Horford), and Atlanta won 60 games that season while Boston are expected to win around 51-53 this season. The Cavaliers were still trying to improve their chemistry on the court with a relatively new team intact, so they finished 2nd back in the 2014-2015 season.

Similarly though for BOS and ATL, the expectations were that Atlanta would be a middle of the pack team that year, but they surprised everyone and finished #1 in the East, and were on fire for much of the season. In Boston's case now, people expected them to be the #3 or #4 seed, but no one (not even us probably) expected them to have a solid hold for the #2 seed, and a legit shot at the #1 seed (esp. with Love injured now).

Lots of people brought into the hype that was Atlanta, but another good chunk of people thought that Atlanta were just overrated.

That Atlanta team did win two playoff series, but got humbled by Cleveland and "Playoff Lebron" in the playoffs. People thought ATL could beat them, but were surprised that they were completely outplayed by the Cavaliers in the playoffs, and got SWEPT (not even one win).

Now here are the Celtics, a team that could get the #1 seed, but I think it's fair to say that if BOS meet CLE in the playoffs, they will lose to CLE in a 7 game playoff series. They would battle and have hard fought games, but I think the Cavaliers ultimately win the series especially if Love returns healthy late in the season for their playoff run.

But as KG said, "Anything is possible", and I hope the Celtics can have a cinderella run in the playoffs and make a lot of noise.

Let's hope they have the same luck in the ATL 2014-2015 campaign in the sense that they make the ECF, but hope they can take Cleveland to the brink in a hard fought playoff series. I'd LOVE to see that.

[Granath]

There's a big difference. The Hawks didn't have the Brooklyn picks.

[mr. dee]

There's a big difference. The Hawks didn't have the Brooklyn picks.

Or cap space and better young talents.

[Phantom255x]

There's a big difference. The Hawks didn't have the Brooklyn picks.

Or cap space and better young talents.

Obviously the future is bright, and this team will become contenders 2-3 years from now.

THIS SEASON though, I think could go the path of 2014-2015 Hawks.

Possibly get #1 seed, lose to CLE in ECF.

But I wouldn't mind as long as we play CLE tough. If you told me before the season "IT will average 30 PPG and the C's will make the ECF", I would have been ecstatic.

[Denis998]

I think the difference between the two teams is that ATL's success just came out of the blue. If i recall correctly, many people had them around the 6-9th seed in the East before the season started. Their unexpected rise led to massive hype surrounding the team, which is probably the difference in media coverage between the two teams.

 This season, Boston was expected to be a fringe contender this season. For this reason, I think Boston compares similarity to that of last seasons Toronto squad; they were expected to be good, but turned out to be better than expected.

[vgulab]

Similarly though for BOS and ATL, the expectations were that Atlanta would be a middle of the pack team that year, but they surprised everyone and finished #1 in the East, and were on fire for much of the season. In Boston's case now, people expected them to be the #3 or #4 seed, but no one (not even us probably) expected them to have a solid hold for the #2 seed, and a legit shot at the #1 seed (esp. with Love injured now).

From what i remember before the season started according to the bookies Boston had 5th best chances for the titles. Behind Warriors, Spurs, Cavs, Clippers. So that makes us 2nd on east. I don't think we are suprising anybody this season, i believe the C's are exacly where expected

[RockinRyA]

Nah almost all of the media expected us to be 3rd, with quite a decent number expecting us 2nd.

[incoherent]

I think our goal is to win a playoff series.  The Celtics haven't been out of the first round in five years, the last two years we're 2-8 with this group.

I think realistically we all expect to get out of the first round, but I think we thought that last year and look what happened

A bad match up could stop us in our tracks like ATL did last year.  Imagine we do get out of the first round and we face a healthy Wizards team in the 2nd round, home court might not even matter.

I'm not even thinking ECF, that would be amazing but not on my radar yet.  Lets get a 1st round victory and hope we get home court in the 2nd round with a favorable match up.

[Phantom255x]

I think our goal is to win a playoff series.  The Celtics haven't been out of the first round in five years, the last two years we're 2-8 with this group.

I think realistically we all expect to get out of the first round, but I think we thought that last year and look what happened

A bad match up could stop us in our tracks like ATL did last year.  Imagine we do get out of the first round and we face a healthy Wizards team in the 2nd round, home court might not even matter.

I'm not even thinking ECF, that would be amazing but not on my radar yet.  Lets get a 1st round victory and hope we get home court in the 2nd round with a favorable match up.

Yep, and hopefully this time we have a healthy team.

Not having Bradley and having a HURT Crowder really.. well, it really hurt.

IT did his thing, but no one else stepped up (except Smart in Game 4 - that's it).

[droopdog7]

If you mean we're a pretender, not a contender, then yes.  Regardless of what happens during the season, we have no chance of getting past Cleveland in the playoffs.  At least not a healthy Cleveland.

[hwangjini_1]

I think our goal is to win a playoff series.  The Celtics haven't been out of the first round in five years, the last two years we're 2-8 with this group.

I think realistically we all expect to get out of the first round, but I think we thought that last year and look what happened

A bad match up could stop us in our tracks like ATL did last year.  Imagine we do get out of the first round and we face a healthy Wizards team in the 2nd round, home court might not even matter.

I'm not even thinking ECF, that would be amazing but not on my radar yet.  Lets get a 1st round victory and hope we get home court in the 2nd round with a favorable match up.

Remember please that last year Bradley,crowder, and olly all had various injuries. Without those Boston would have won that series.

[iadera]

There's a big difference. The Hawks didn't have the Brooklyn picks.

Or cap space and better young talents.

Obviously the future is bright, and this team will become contenders 2-3 years from now.

THIS SEASON though, I think could go the path of 2014-2015 Hawks.

Possibly get #1 seed, lose to CLE in ECF.

But I wouldn't mind as long as we play CLE tough. If you told me before the season "IT will average 30 PPG and the C's will make the ECF", I would have been ecstatic.

This team can be contender in 3 days or a week!

[celticsclay]

Now please, don't bash me for saying that, but it's an interesting thought.

Obviously both teams have vastly different rosters/players (besides Horford), and Atlanta won 60 games that season while Boston are expected to win around 51-53 this season. The Cavaliers were still trying to improve their chemistry on the court with a relatively new team intact, so they finished 2nd back in the 2014-2015 season.

Similarly though for BOS and ATL, the expectations were that Atlanta would be a middle of the pack team that year, but they surprised everyone and finished #1 in the East, and were on fire for much of the season. In Boston's case now, people expected them to be the #3 or #4 seed, but no one (not even us probably) expected them to have a solid hold for the #2 seed, and a legit shot at the #1 seed (esp. with Love injured now).

Lots of people brought into the hype that was Atlanta, but another good chunk of people thought that Atlanta were just overrated.

That Atlanta team did win two playoff series, but got humbled by Cleveland and "Playoff Lebron" in the playoffs. People thought ATL could beat them, but were surprised that they were completely outplayed by the Cavaliers in the playoffs, and got SWEPT (not even one win).

Now here are the Celtics, a team that could get the #1 seed, but I think it's fair to say that if BOS meet CLE in the playoffs, they will lose to CLE in a 7 game playoff series. They would battle and have hard fought games, but I think the Cavaliers ultimately win the series especially if Love returns healthy late in the season for their playoff run.

But as KG said, "Anything is possible", and I hope the Celtics can have a cinderella run in the playoffs and make a lot of noise.

Let's hope they have the same luck in the ATL 2014-2015 campaign in the sense that they make the ECF, but hope they can take Cleveland to the brink in a hard fought playoff series. I'd LOVE to see that.

We really are doing about what we are projected for. As others mentioned vegas had us as 5th to win the title and everything I saw had us second or third to win the east. If we get the number 1 seed cause Love is injured that makes it even less similar to the hawks.

That Hawks team was also a really good team. They got screwed with injuries that year and one of the players (demarre carrol) has actually never even been the same player. Korver also got hurt and I believe Horford got suspended for a game for retaliating against delladova for hurting Korver.

[the TRUTH]

I agree that, as long as we stay in the 2nd or 3rd seed, we'll be where many people thought we'd be. But I see what the OP is saying, as I don't think anyone predicted that the C's could earn the top seed, and that's very much in reach right now.

Also agree with the OP (and others) that I don't like our chances against a healthy Cavs team in the playoffs, even if we have HCA. Personally, I don't think we're good enough to beat them even if we had HCA and a fairly officiated series. I've said this before, but no other team in the league gets the biased officiating that LeBron's teams do - it's unbelievable. If we make it to the ECF to play against the Cavs, the officiating will resemble a WWE match in Cleveland's favor. We were good enough to overcome that in '08 and '10, but I don't think we're there yet.

[bopna]

Cavs are not healthy and Lebron is at the tail end of his prime yrs...not saying he is declining but his body is susceptible now to injuries not to mention Love will not be perfect coming back if at all he comes back...so we may not be there yet but we are inchin closer to Lebron's rear view mirror.