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

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EverettMike

FIRE DON SWEENEY INTO THE SUN
Mar 7, 2009
46,083
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Everett, MA
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I don't know. The issue wasn't just last nights game, but it felt like a last nail in the coffin for this group of Tatum, Brown, Smart and Horford. It's unlikely that these guys are going to get it done in the future. Other teams have MVPs and also getting better. Jokic, Giannis, Embiid (even the Sixers can get better). The Celtics don't even have a player finishing top 3 in MVP voting (for the record: I believe Tatum can and will be top 3 at least once). Other superstars like Doncic and Ja Morant coming up and the older stars still exist.

At this point I am very close to sacrificing the future for a shorter, but more realistic title window. Translation: Trading Brown for an older star like Durant. The Suns may feel that they have a longer window with Booker and Brown and it feels like Durant to the C's is long overdue. Or a 3 way deal has to be found to bring a guy like Lillard to Boston.

The Tatum/Brown + Smart core may have very well reached its ceiling. That's why I have a hard time being angry. This group IMO has never been likable (minus Horford, whom I really feel sorry for and maybe Rob Williams) and players like Brown and Smart just don't have a much higher ceiling, probably not even Tatum.

If it was me, I'd shake things up, but it's gonna be difficult. Superstars trades rarely happen, but I'd deal Tatum for Doncic, even though both teams would never do it.

Five minutes away from going up 3-1 in the Finals last year on the most experienced team in basketball led by an all-time great.

I'm not ready to give up on them, yet. Let's see what a good coach does with them.

Doesn't mean I am opposed to any meaningful change, I'm just not as down on their future/potential together.
 

bbfan419

Registered User
Jul 3, 2006
9,281
9,966
Moncton NB
This team does not know what Celtic pride is. Mazzula is a horrible coach, needs to be fired as soon as the season ends. As for the players the only ones I would keep are Tatum and Brogdon, the rest can be traded.
 
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DangleCity

Registered User
Jun 23, 2016
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Well Ime wasn't let go for basketball reasons. If he was still here this series is much different imo
Lol, I doubt it's any different. Ime doesn't make Brown and Tatum play better in the 4th quarter.


This team is a joke. They quit on the coach. They would rather get their coach fired then win a championship. That's all I need to know about the players
 

Maine Fan

Defense Wins Chanpionships
Apr 19, 2015
7,393
6,877
Ocean Twp, NJ
Wyc Grousbeck has to step up
and take ownership of the mess in Boston he created.

The Boston Celtics players, Brown and Tatum have embarrassed our area, and the NBA. They quit in game 3.

Brad Steven and Wyc Grousbeck promoted Joe Mazzulla too soon to HC instead of leaving him as interm HC through the playoffs. Embarrassing the NBA world.

As soon as the CELTICS finish the playoffs Wyc must fix the problems.

Get rid of Brown and RW III. Take the HC title from Mazzulla.
Have a retirement party for Horford.

Hire a qualified GM and HC.


Finally apologize to the sports world, and Celtic fans for the embarrassment. This season will be remembered for long time in a negative way.
 

KrejciMVP

Registered User
Jun 30, 2011
28,826
10,608
Tampa, Florida
Lol, I doubt it's any different. Ime doesn't make Brown and Tatum play better in the 4th quarter.


This team is a joke. They quit on the coach. They would rather get their coach fired then win a championship. That's all I need to know about the players
[/QUOTE]
gimmick 3 point shooting team who Jimmy Butler effortlessly disposes of. they missed 4 more 3s while writing this
 

lextune

I'm too old for this.
Jun 9, 2008
12,509
4,342
New Hampshire
Lol, I doubt it's any different. Ime doesn't make Brown and Tatum play better in the 4th quarter.
He did though. Ime got Tatum and Brown (and everyone else) to play defense.

If/when they didn't, he came right out, to their faces, and told them they were "playing like assholes", and for whatever reason, they responded, time and again, all the way to the Finals.

Once he was gone that team defense identity disappeared immediately.
 
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DangleCity

Registered User
Jun 23, 2016
7,306
3,452
This team may never have a better chance to win a championship then this season. The league was wide open and the Celtics were fairly healthy. Instead they chose to pout and try to get their coach fired then win a ring.
 

Mione134

Queen in the North
Sponsor
Mar 30, 2010
39,415
44,351
Hogwarts-617
It's baffling how our superstars can't show up in a meaningful series.

I'll take a Jimmy Butler over a Jaylen Brown any day. You either have "it" or you don't. Brown doesn't. He cares about his supermax and making records. Tatum does as well but I think Tatum has "it" but not currently at this point in his career.

I need Brad to tell Mazzulla to start Pritchard, Hauser, and Kornet over all these stiffs. I bet you they bring you the heart and drive none of the rest of the team has.
 

McGarnagle

Yes.
Aug 5, 2017
30,458
41,852
In a "normal" year or if your core was on the younger side you might give Mazzulla some more time to grow as a coach, but given where the Celtics are and the amount of great coaches out there to be hired this year, gotta dump him. Budenholzer, Nurse, and Williams all on the market. You'd think it'd be an easy decision and that the Celtics' opening would be very attractive to potential coaches.
 
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EverettMike

FIRE DON SWEENEY INTO THE SUN
Mar 7, 2009
46,083
35,836
Everett, MA
twitter.com
To me the biggest issue the roster has, and the reason I think they have so many late collapses, is that there's no one they trust to handle the ball when the game slows down and the intensity picks up. They end up going ISO, but one of the two guys you want with the ball can't dribble.
 

KrejciMVP

Registered User
Jun 30, 2011
28,826
10,608
Tampa, Florida
Can Rondo be signed for game 4? He'll get everyone organized and playing an actual system

Don't 1-2 duo's like Tatum and Brown work together and feed off each other, all I see is one and done shooting up quick 3's
 
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McGarnagle

Yes.
Aug 5, 2017
30,458
41,852
What really sucks is how Will Hardy would've been the perfect coach for them if Ime's scandal had broken earlier in the summer but by the time he got suspended he had already gone to Utah.

I think that given that Bob Huggins is definitely getting fired for what he did and that Mazzulla came out of the WVU program, just seems natural that the Celtics cut him, he goes to the Mountaineers and becomes a decent college coach, while the Celtics bring in Nurse or someone.
 
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Mountain

Registered User
Mar 16, 2011
284
82
Quincy, MA
This is not all solely on Mazzulla. Brown has been awful all series, Horford can't score at all, and the players look lost on defense. But he's gotten outcoached all 3 series, and should have lost to Doc and the Sixers if not for Tatum suddenly getting hot in the 4th Q of G6 and the Sixers puking on themselves.

He does not have the game management skills, he's never there drawing up plays, the offense and defense both look like they're just freestyling and calling it on the floor without a plan. Any person with basketball knowledge knew they should have pressed Trae in Series 1, Harden not getting doubled when hot nearly beat them last series and now the defense can't handle Butler and a bunch of undrafted guys.

The coaching staff lost Hardy, Udoka situation must have came out from out of nowhere, and then Damon Stoudemire left in season. Now Joe Mazz is in the ECF vs the best coach in the league and NO ONE on the coaching staff has any experience at this level and it shows. Spo called a timeout last night after a Celtics bucket while up 29. Mazzulla didn't call a timeout the entire 3rd Q of game 1 when the Heat scored 46 in the quarter. He's out of his depth and not ready
 

DangleCity

Registered User
Jun 23, 2016
7,306
3,452
Jimmy Butler has a lot of pressure to actually win a ring vs Denver


I've never heard of any player across, any sport, that's been lauded as the man and a winner more than Butler, despite having won squat
 

CDJ

Registered User
Nov 20, 2006
57,386
47,987
Hell baby
Interesting and poignant stuff from Brogdon at media availability today:

to summarize he says the heat have an identity and the Celtics do not- the Celtics identity has waned as the year has gone on and it comes down to a lack of a consistent defense, which was what they hung their hat on last year. The heat are disciplined grinders who stick to that.


That is 100% right. Doesn’t seem like a team making it out of game 4. They need to get tougher.
 

lextune

I'm too old for this.
Jun 9, 2008
12,509
4,342
New Hampshire
One thing I haven't seen anyone ask that I think is the single most important question after last night is whether or not Jaylen Brown quit on his Celtics career and not just his coach/this series.
It's a good question, but if he gets offered the super-max there is no way he turns it down.
 

PatriceBergeron

Registered User
Apr 7, 2014
3,341
3,637
MA
I think Jaylen Brown 100% wants out of Boston. But he’s a top 15 player in the league who’s 26. I don’t even know who would be available where you could get fair value. Biggest fear is just being forced to move him for a Trae Young/RJ Barrett level player which closes the championship window
 

McGarnagle

Yes.
Aug 5, 2017
30,458
41,852
Just because he's basically store brand Kyrie, I'm about 80% sure that if the Celtics hire Nurse or Budenholzer that Jaylen Brown would tune him out and refuse to listen to a white coach.
 

DangleCity

Registered User
Jun 23, 2016
7,306
3,452
This goes far beyond Jaylen Brown. The entire team quit outside of maybe AL and White
 
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