RedDawg#8

For me it's less about them going 3-0 and more about how we looked against them. Randle ate every game. And every game they hit big shots down the stretch while we couldn't get anything against their defense. Its not about the names on paper, its not about the experience, it's strictly eyeball test. They looked like the better team each time they beat us. Granted, we have our full arsenal now. Well basically anyways. We did look good before Trae went down last time. We are not the same squad that they beat. So the 3-0 goes out of the window for me. But, we need to figure something out against Randle. We need to keep it from being a close game and letting Rose get loose in the clutch. Im excited for the attention that this series will bring. I just want our guys to stay focused and keep their emotions in check when calls don't go their way, because they wont. It's Showtime ladies and gentlemen. Well almost lol

All true but its not official yet. You never know

Clinch? Celtics can beat NY tomorrow (not likely) and we win 4 outright.

Look out for the Nets v. Bulls game too. Milwaukee is still in play for #2 seed. If the Nets lose that leaves the door open for Milwaukee and likely pushes them to compete harder against Miami to avoid the 3v6 matchup all together. Nets and Bulls also play at 1pm so they will have time to process the result and wrap their mind around what they want/need to do.

Too late, they've already swallowed their whistles on Trae. They can keep his name out of the story. People's mind will be blown when they finally realize how many non calls Trae gets during the playoffs. What they dont know is even if he doesn't get the continuation calls, he still draws contact "on the floor" and gets teams in foul trouble that way. I don't think he has gotten any ridiculous foul calls in a long time.

That's what did it for me. They lost Theis and ended up cutting Mo Wagner. Their fanbase thought it was smart because Williams is emerging and Theis was expiring, but, they got much worse in the process. An already thin roster came out of the deadline with Evan Fournier and a developmental big, and sent out experienced vets in Teague and Theis. And they did this because they needed more shot creation from the wing after letting Hayward walk. Its been a disastrous offseason and trade deadline from their front office, and they really botched building around their young core.

I disagree with paragraph (1). Kevin let it be known that they have been talking about winning out, and that they are striving for homecourt. JC said something similar about how Washington was a huge MUST WIN game for them to accomplish the bigger picture. Coach Nate let it be known that the team wanted to win it's way in to the playoffs and not wait for anyone else to lose. Everything aligns that the team is not satisfied with anything right now and that getting in was a goal, but they have more goals to reach before it's said and done. Trae isn't the best interviewee, I woudn't put much stock in his dry responses. I agree with paragraph (2). This is a very underrated assessment. Our main core has never tasted the playoffs and will be in for a wake up call. The good news is, they sprinkled in playoff seasoned vets amongst each position group. Lou, Snell, Solo, Gallo, Clint all have multiple years in the playoffs. Long story, I think the piece about crowds is huge. Trae in particular feeds off of the energy of fans and would absolutely thrive under the big lights. I partly think that has something to do with his season, playing in front of empty arenas has taking a little bit of the juice from his sails. (I combined euphemisms and used it wrong intentionally).

Philly is built different. They are the best team in the East top to bottom. Nets are the most talented by far. And the Bucks have the biggest chip on their shoulder and most to prove. I aint scared either, but that doesn't change the fact that they are flat out better teams than us. NY has the style of play that will translate perfectly to the postseason without them having to switch anything up or turn up their intensity. They come ready as is for postseason basketball. That's an advantage. Miami knows the drill. They've been there and done it already. They have positioned themselves all season and turned it up another notch here lately. They are no going out in round 1 without a dogfight.

If we win out, we only need the knicks to lose 1 to clinch 4. Either everyone win out, or we have to finish a game above the Knicks. A tie with Miami favors us in every scenario.

If we learned anything this season, the players are not hitting that early end of the estimate, if anything they usually end up 3 weeks after the return window. Cam is not coming back. Safest way to put it.

And then you remember that half of Orlando's roster is out for the remainder of the season https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/orlando-magic/injuries

So instead of making an actual decision on the rotation, they are just gonna play this Snell-Hunter musical chairs every other game? Got it. We have 2 days off after today, we can't let guys play through a little bit of soreness? Especially when that adds more stress on the other rotation players that have to step up and player longer/harder to make up for the loss.

Preach brother. In Threezus name, AMEN

No matter what happens the rest of the way, before this season, the goal was to get in to the playoffs. We did that. No moving goalposts. When the season started and we saw the potential of this squad early, the goal was to get a top-6 seed and avoid the play-in. Through the ups and downs, injuries and coaching change We DID THAT. No moving goalposts. We all want more. The job isn't done. We want to get homecourt and win a series or two. But regardless of what happens, just remember where we started and what we all agreed would define a great season. Appreciate what we HAVE accomplished before we start tearing down the coaching and players when we don't win a championship at the end of this season. We are right where we are supposed to be. No moving goalposts.

Must really suck for the rest of the East that we are sitting at 4th in the conference considering all of the flaws you just pointed out. Even more embarrassing for them that we had the 3rd most missed games due to injury in the league this season and yet they are still looking up at us. Man, you are right, we are not a very good team at all. No paint presence on the roster, especially without that Clint guy hogging rebounds and leading the entire league in that category. No rim protection at all if you remove the top 3 leader in blocks. And that JC guy, what a weakling, only getting 2 big time blocks tonight. You are so spot on with your assessment. Especially considering the timing of it. Couldn't have been more timely to point out those criticisms. We out rebounded and out blocked the Wizards, but it's just smoke and mirrors considering they actually have 2x 7 footers on their roster to our none. Damn, I really wish we kept Alex Len instead of Clint Capela. Alex is a true 7 footer and you can really tell the difference. Great post @FL_BRYANT it needed to be said, and you stepped up and delivered.

Great game by Mr. Ice Trae Proud of this young man!

Rebuild complete and ahead of schedule. Congrats on the W and the clinch!

That's coaching yeah? lol I think there is a little more nuance than that. LP did the same thing but it never worked out. He would sit Clint too long during the 4th. Nate leaves Clint in the game and only does that substitution pattern inside of 2 minutes. There is some more strategy going on beyond the 2 minute mark that keeps Clint off the line.

Nate is truly an exceptional Coach. Clint's free throw shooting deficiency used to be such an obvious weakness that was easily exploited under LP. Now, I barely notice it anymore. Coach has literally coached around it to where Hack-Ca-Pela is a rare sighting.

Kev was driving strong to the hole against Phoenix, which is after he came back. I never saw him dunk on a fast break off the dribble before. He can do it. The thing to watch about him is that both injuries to his shoulder have come with pretty incidental contact on the perimeter and not driving in the lane or anything. Reminds me of Al and his pecks, and how they were so freaky, but he never rebounded the same after that. Idk, Im just vamping right now, can't wait for tip off.

Geez, that guy cannot catch a break.

Just listened to Kendrick Perkins brag on the Warriors for having an identity on both ends of the floor as the reason they should be feared. When he broke it down all he said was they had Draymond to QB the defense, and obviously Steph on offense. I'm listening like, we if that don't sound like us. Clint and Trae have just as big of an impact on their ends of the floor, I didn't know all it took was one person to claim a team's identity. If that's the case why isn't there more praise for Clint for DPOY? IDK, I could ran forever

Bucks are still flirting with that 2 seed. They hold the tie breaker over BKN too, something to keep an eye on

Which, let me be clear, we can still lose the race for 4th, 5th and the division outright to NY or Miami. We aren't in the clear yet. We can win out and still drop to 5th if NY wins out and Miami loses a game. Keep all of that in mind right now. Pol saying we control our destiny dont keep in mind a 3-way vs 2-way scenario.

Not win, holds the edge, or I should say that they wouldn't be last. They clinched a playoff spot and we havent because in any combination of 3 they finish in the top 2 so they cannot reach 7th no matter what, but we can. That was my point. Not that they can top us.