[BasterdInABasketParticipant]

Finals preview. Any chance? Wouldn’t mind seeing Boston in the Finals against either GS or SA. Would like to see a team make it without a true superstar and think they could if Love can’t make it back and JR either can’t make it back or does and isn’t effective (addition by subtraction). 

Obviously GS be Cle would be fun but Bostons so scrappy and would be a nice matchup for either. Do they have a chance? 

[OhCanada-Participant]

 No way Boston wins the East. As good as they have been they havent faired well against qaulity teams. They wouldnt beat Cleveland, Washington or Toronto and would struggle with Atlanta. They havent played well against those teams and will be fighting to get out of the 1st round. 

[BleedGreen808Participant]

One thing for sure is Boston hasn’t played as well as their record implies.  However, they have a chance of beating Washington or Toronto in a 7 game series.  Although I really like the additions Washington and Toronto made at the deadline.  An important fact is that Boston has only had the starting 5 intact for 25 games.  When they have their starting lineup they are 19-6.  Assuming they are healthy they are a much better team. 

Of course your points about rim protection and rebounding are very legit concerns.  I would also add that teams swarm IT in the playoffs.  Last year nobody else was able to step up after AB went down (Crowder and Olynyk also banged up).  If they want to get anywhere in the playoffs other guys need to carry more of the load.  

[negguaryParticipant]

IT is a solidified superstar at this point!

[BasterdInABasketParticipant]

 Apparently a few people disagree. Regardless since Jan 1 Boston is 8-5 vs Utah, Toronto, Wash, Atl, Houston, LAC and Cle. And playing right with GS tonight. Maybe they have no chance against a Warrior team with KD but maybe no team in the league does. They’re an easy team to root for for me and not like they’re just laying down against the best teams in the league.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Take my opinion with a grain of salt. I absolutely hate the Celtics. They are a very good regular season team but in the playoffs the same issue will occur that has presented itself the last 2 years where they got eliminated in the first round. Rim protection and rebounding. They did not address these issues by signing Horford as Atlanta also had these issues with Al at Center and was always actively looking for a rim protecter to pair with Horford in attempts to move him to PF before they got Millsap. The commentators in this game said Avery Bradley was thier leading rebounder before getting injured. That kind of stuff really doesnt fly in the playoffs. 

[Jr. ROXASParticipant]

Man I feel bad for the Celtic guards because their perimeter defense is INSANE (aside from IT). I watched a bunch of their games and man are Bradley, Rozier and Smart headaches for the opposing team. They stick to you like glue and give ball-handlers such little comfort. 

Sadly their interior presence is one of the worst in the league. Absolutely zero guards fear driving into Horford and Amir Johnson in the lane. You’d think that they may have at least some interior presence off the bench but then you get worse, with Zeller and Olynyk. An elite defensive backcourt is just put to waste with this piss poor defensive frontline.

 

 

 

 

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