Celtics/NBA 2023 Playoffs Round 3 - Back to South Beach

[EverettMike]

Fire him tonight.

My point is their best lineup also routinely throws games away in the same fashion. This core sucks

My point is I'M TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT'S GAME.

 

[KesselBuiltMyHotrod]

It's pretty cool how Grant wasn't good enough to play in game 1 and suddenly he's good enough to guard Butler 1-on-1 while game 2 is slipping away. It's good to have a coach who knows he screwed up and totally isn't just throwing shit against the wall.

 

[PatriceBergeron]

Fire him tonight.



My point is I'M TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT'S GAME.

They never should have extended him.

Now they’re in the terrible position of looking like a clown show organization if they fire a guy before his extension kicks in, or not firing him and wasting a championship window because their coach is a buffoon.

My gut is they’re keeping him and next year will be wasted too

 

[Alicat]

Now that I have expressed my rage I feel much better

 

[N o o d l e s]

Fire him tonight.



My point is I'M TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT'S GAME.

They probably would have just lost anyway

 

[BernieMcAvoy]

They never should have extended him.

Now they’re in the terrible position of looking like a clown show organization if they fire a guy before his extension kicks in, or not firing him and wasting a championship window because their coach is a buffoon.

My gut is they’re keeping him and next year will be wasted too

There's been some rumors that the Celtics want Vogel and Silas as assistants next year but it doesn't really matter who the assistants are when the coach is horrible with timeouts, in game adjustments, even between game adjustments seem more on the players begging him to make them and he just doesn't seem to have the feel for how a game is going.


I'll repeat it though, Stevens brought Mazzulla to the Celtics orginization. If they fire him it would be Brad admitting he never should have given him the job in the first place when they knew Udoka was never coming back and then making him the permanent head coach. Stevens won't kick his own guy to the curb like he did Udoka but the Celtics are now 23-15 since Mazzulla was named permanent head coach.

 

[Fenway]

 

[Johnnyduke]

The hell is this about

 

[Maine Fan]

CDJ is correct. We can't put all the blame on the coach. Tatum and Brown must carry some of the responsibility. For me, especially Brown. So I say Mazzulla 30 %; Brown 30%; Tatum 30% and Brad along with the ownership 10%. Don't split the hairs. The Celtics are not winning a championship anytime soon. Congrats to the Heat for two great games away from home. Jimmy Butler you were awesome.

 

[McGarnagle]

I don't know anything about basketball so I'm not going to pretend to have great insight, but could it just be that they blew their wad on game 7 against Philly after having to play 7 against Atlanta and now they have nothing left - especially Tatum who left everything on the court Sunday and hasn't performed in this series?

Still no reason or excuse to be down 2-0 to an 8 seed, but it sure seems like they dug this hole for themselves. Spoelstra always owns the Celtics too, and Mazzulla can't keep up. Not good, Bob. But I don't know basketball, maybe they'll wake up.

 

[Mione134]

I was at a concert but checked in on the game a bit. Saw they lost. How bad was it?

Typical 4th quarter collapse? Or was it Mazzulla doing Mazzulla things?

 

[Lobster57]

I was at a concert but checked in on the game a bit. Saw they lost. How bad was it?

Typical 4th quarter collapse? Or was it Mazzulla doing Mazzulla things?

haven't watched much basketball this year, but i watched this game. 4th quarter was BIZARRE, the Celts went away from everything that was working in the first 36 minutes and really went all-in on the stuff that wasn't. From lineups, to play-calling to defensive match-ups

 

[Fenway]

 

[DKH]

This should surprise No one. Anyone who follows basketball knows the Heat plays hard and focused and with an edge

The Celtics are basketball version of the Toronto Maple Leafs

I was at a concert but checked in on the game a bit. Saw they lost. How bad was it?

Typical 4th quarter collapse? Or was it Mazzulla doing Mazzulla things?

What concert

 

[DKH]

The hell is this about

Guy on Twitter replying to Howe angry

 

[shelbysdad]

I was at a concert but checked in on the game a bit. Saw they lost. How bad was it?

Typical 4th quarter collapse? Or was it Mazzulla doing Mazzulla things?

sucked
yes
yes

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Celtics might be one of the worst clutch time championship contender teams ever. You knew they weren't winning that after the ball slipped out of Smart's hands right after Miami tied the game. Jaylen Brown in a 6 point loss shot 30% and was a -24


The Celtics are better than last years team, Miami are worse but the difference is Brad Stevens had his Belichick/Patricia moment and gave the head coaching job to someone who isn't qualified for the job and someone the players have to beg to make adjustments for the opponent. Mazzulla has no feel for what's going on the court, he's like the heavy analytics baseball manager that never wins anything because a spreadsheet can't feel the game.

Yes, but of course the Heat probably beat the Celtics last year if Butler wasn't hurt, and thus played awful in games 4/5. Heck the probably beat the Celtics last year if not for the did the foot actually touch the out of bounds line 3 pointer overturn in game 7.

I do think this team is somewhat overrated around here. Tatum and Brown can be great players, but both are inconsistent and still disappear too often for players of their caliber. Smart is what he is, but always believes he is more than he is. Brogdon and White are very good players.

But on the other hand their depth is below average. Robert Williams is still a shadow of what he was at this time last year. Horford has reached the stage where he is aging in dog years, and is barely even a shadow of what he was last year (he won game after game last year with his clutch shooting). Grant Williams is an acceptable role player, and would be a good 7/8 for any playoff team, but he believes, and some agree that he is more than that. So that gives them 8, and they don't have another guy on the roster who should really see the court in a postseason game.

 

[KrejciMVP]

trash talking Jimmy butler worked well

 

[smithformeragent]

In the NBA, talent carries you further than perhaps any other team sport.

The Celtics are very very talented.

But there’s something fundamentally flawed with this team.

Is the coach an issue? Yes.

But their core may be rotten.

 

[KrejciMVP]

In the NBA, talent carries you further than perhaps any other team sport.

The Celtics are very very talented.

But there’s something fundamentally flawed with this team.

Is the coach an issue? Yes.

But their core may be rotten.

unfortunately all the dumb plays they make is outweighing the talent

 

[smithformeragent]

unfortunately all the dumb plays they make is outweighing the talent

Assuming they lose this series and the run ends, do you consider dealing some talent to get some “it”?

“It” being smarts, grit, leadership….

Once you deal the talent away, you don’t get it back.

(See Tyler Seguin)

 

[KrejciMVP]

Assuming they lose this series and the run ends, do you consider dealing some talent to get some “it”?

“It” being smarts, grit, leadership….

Once you deal the talent away, you don’t get it back.

(See Tyler Seguin)

smart is the first to go. see how they do next year without him

 

[smithformeragent]

Anxiously awaiting the thread where @Fenway poses the hypothesis that TD Garden (formerly the FleetCenter) is actually cursed.

I kid… I kid…

 

[PatriceBergeron]

Assuming they lose this series and the run ends, do you consider dealing some talent to get some “it”?

“It” being smarts, grit, leadership….

Once you deal the talent away, you don’t get it back.

(See Tyler Seguin)

I wouldn’t because it’s hard to win in the NBA when you’re young. Jordan was 28 his first championship, James 27, Durant 28, Shaq 27, Giannis 26, Dirk 32, etc.

I think the best plan is just riding it out with Tatum and Brown and eventually they’ll figure it out.

 

[smithformeragent]

I wouldn’t because it’s hard to win in the NBA when you’re young. Jordan was 28 his first championship, James 27, Durant 28, Shaq 27, Giannis 26, Dirk 32, etc.

I think the best plan is just riding it out with Tatum and Brown and eventually they’ll figure it out.

I think Felger hit the nail on the head yesterday.

Tatum is too good not to eventually break through and win one title.

But will he/they win multiple?