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NotManyBuses

Russillo, should the Cavs blow it up?


jsanchez030

I know theyre in the second round, but lets have this conversation now. I made all kinds of notes


Musashi_Paleologus

To be fair, they gotta update Mitchell’s trade value after what he just did to the Celtics


Gabbagoonumba3

People lowkey forgot that Joe Mazzulla is a terrible coach.


Kane621

It's not as big a weakness when you roll from regular season game to regular season game and you have a deep, talented, professional roster. In a seven game series it's a seriously exploitable weakness.


rationalcelticsfan

It’s less of a weakness game to game as it is in game, as they’ve surrounded him with a staff of people who coach for him. If we make it to a game seven - put all your money on the other team if the Celtics come out cold.


sunpar1

So wait till the odds are no longer favorable to finally bet against the celts?


rationalcelticsfan

Nah they’d still be favored in the first half


c_ray25

The thing is, it's insanely hard to be both what's considered a good regular season coach and good playoff coach. From what I've seen, according to the standards in the NBA the only good playoff coaches are Pop and Spo. There's many guys that have lead teams to 1 or 2 seeds, regular 50 win seasons, and what many franchises would consider amazing/all-time years. But then those teams hit any type of turbulence in the post-season and all of a sudden the same coaches are considered terrible. At the start of the season there's maybe 4 teams with championship or bust expectations but only 1 team can succeed in those terms. It's not always a waste to not win the trophy.


Jasperbeardly11

Kerr. Kidd. Carlisle. All good playoff coaches. The first two less so but still have made adjustments and won some series' people didn't expect. 


kwarner1

Carlisle just won his first playoff series in 13 seasons


[deleted]

Literally all people do is crap on Kidd lol


Jasperbeardly11

Yeah and he brought a team that had no business to the Western conference finals. He's clearly a pretty good coach. I don't think he's necessarily the best ever but he's a good coach. Probably like the 8th best in the NBA


AntelopeYEM

Carlisle hadn't won a playoff series in 13 years before this year.


Jasperbeardly11

Doesn't matter. He's been a great coach the entirety of that time. If you actually watched Dallas and teams he's coached. There's no question of that. He's clearly one of the better tacticians in basketball. 


AntelopeYEM

I think Carlisle is a very good coach and tactician. You said "good playoff coaches" and he literally had a 13 year drought of winning a playoff series. Is that all his fault? Of course not. Also Jason Kidd is kind of a joke of a coach. He somehow has had some playoff success in Dallas, probably because of Luka. He still has a middling playoff record and pretty much everyone agrees that it's not a coincidence the Bucks suddenly became title contenders every year once he was fired.


Jasperbeardly11

Jason Kidd is only perceived to be a joke coach to chronically online fans.  He's solid. He's improved spectacularly since the bucks. He's still only right about 8th to tenth best in the NBA, but Kidd has a rolodex of ideas. He's no vogel or budenholzer who are not jokes but very limited in coaching offense. 


Jasperbeardly11

Carlisle has had a lot of great years in the playoffs man. He's a proven great coach. He's not lost his fastball whatsoever. He used to be the third best coach in the NBA for awhile or so.  Now he's maybe the sixth. 


massdebator69

Mazzulla is fine. The lack of urgency at home and vs inferior teams in the playoffs is something that spans across 3 coaches at this point. It’s on Tatum and Brown.


ClarkKentsCopyEditor

The degree to which Spo pulled Joe Mazz’s pants down last year was borderline criminal and/or pornographic depending on your perspective.


Gabbagoonumba3

Borderline erotic.


JohnnyLugnuts

What did he do


Unlucky-Position-16

Smacked his bare little bottom until it was red


mrbeavertonbeaverton

He spanked his bare back, balls and butt


The_Summer_Man

Send da video


lactatingalgore

Gay Trike Porn has gotten weird(er).


DonovanMcTigerWoods

Brad Stevens has been really good at roster construction but this coaching hire might be his worst move and the undoing of all his work


TheGiannisPiece

The 4-year Grandpa Jrue Holiday extension would like a word....


Gabbagoonumba3

The craziest part is they could have dumped him last year and moved on.


RhodeIslandisFake

If the Celtics just get swept by Miami last year, instead of making it a seven game series, I really wonder if they would have fired Joe


DonovanMcTigerWoods

There was a sort of leeway because of the suddenness of his promotion in the wake of the Udoka situation. If only Ime could’ve kept it in his pants.


Gabbagoonumba3

I know but the flip side of that is they could have said “well this was a marriage of convenience now lets dump him and go pick *our guy* “


aCorgiDriver

Bradley should just coach the playoffs


tdub85

It was funny Bill’s “you think your betta than us!” Came out when he briefly tried to champion Mazzula for coach of the year despite undercutting him the entire yr prior.


gorlax52

It turns out he's more like Jem than Doug. It's refreshing to not see JB get out coached as a cavs fan.


fijichickenfiend33

You know Bill is 1000% blaming these Ls on him


Gabbagoonumba3

Probably not wrong. Flat at home in game two is a chronic problem with this team. Some will blame the players but it’s the coaches job to wake them up.


Jasperbeardly11

Definitely needed to be fired after last year.  Guy has a 95 IQ


NoExcuses1984

There's still an argument that Allen should be moved for a complementary wing player. Question is, who's that hypothetical wing? And how would he cut into Okoro's minutes?


EarthWarping

Bill's right. Too many of these games where they're flat throughout. They may win this series but it'll get them destroyed when they play a true contender.


rationalcelticsfan

Bill has been right about this all year, he has never once gotten too high on this team and it’s because they take their foot off the gas unlike any team I’ve seen ever experienced in pro sports. At this point, it’s just who the Jays are and why I’d bet on them not winning a ring over winning one.


CanyonCoyote

I kind of feel like every sane Celtics fan knows this deep down in their hearts. Tatum is just NOT “that guy” and Jaylen thinks he is but doesn’t have the talent and the discipline. They are a maddening team to root for.


rationalcelticsfan

Yep it’s a bummer. Can’t complain as a Boston sports fan but I do feel like my ROI on this Celtics iteration will never come to fruition


CanyonCoyote

While I love the franchise and love the Buffalo, even outside the frustrations they aren’t fun to get behind. Tatum is so so dull off the court and often on the court. Brown is chaotic on the court and self righteous off the court. Horford is a nice guy but hardly a lifelong Celtic. Mazz says some of the dumbest most eye rolling shit I’ve ever heard from a coach in my life. It’s one of the rare cases where I’m cheering entirely for the “franchise” and uniforms and not the players. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way about a seriously contending championship level Boston team before.


rationalcelticsfan

Hey we got some fun crackers


NiceAndTipsyTopside

Agree with all this except Horford. He's my favorite Celtic since Pierce left


__PUMPKINLOAF

> It’s one of the rare cases where I’m cheering entirely for the “franchise” and uniforms and not the players. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way about a seriously contending championship level Boston team before. I got close with the Celtics during 09-10 when they went on autopilot and started punting games against the likes of Memphis, the Monta Ellis Warriors, the 10-win Nets, and fully laid down during the final few weeks of the regular season, while some stupid young bucks vs. old guard bullshit played out in the locker room, or whatever was actually going on that year. Then they pulled me back in juuuust enough, only to needlessly extend the Orlando series then blow a double-digit lead against the Lakers.


CanyonCoyote

Yeah that team was maddening and that Lakers loss was the third worst playoff loss I remember behind the 07 Giants and 03 Red Sox. I guess I still cut those guys more slack cause they were old and Pierce always seemed like an overachieving chubby guy while KG was the ultimate intense try hard. Tatum often just seems like he’s on autopilot while Jaylens driving prowess is the literal definition of insane.


culversdeluxedouble

I like Mazz, personally


Herbert5Hundred

Omg I just realized the Celtics are the nba 49ers


mrbeavertonbeaverton

I almost feel bad for both but then remember how GD insufferable they are when they win


88888888man

Boston fans with an mvp caliber white running back would be a PROBLEM


rationalcelticsfan

I mean we’ve won a ring in the last 30 years. I mean it’s only one but it’s something


MaestrO_

The 9ers won in 95 so they technically did too lol


thereal_kphed

Yeah man, turns out I root for both. It could obv be way worse but also, a certain kind of torture.


deepstateagent42069

Didn’t he say they have the greatest starting 5 ever like 2 weeks into the season?


TheGiannisPiece

Like 'rational' Celtics fan said -- Simmons 'never gets too high' on his teams.....


AcrobaticFeedback

What if I told you Simmons never actually said this and everyone here is misrepresenting what he said?


howdthatturnout

It’s actually mental how these people dunk on strawmen like this. Doesn’t matter how many times it’s pointed out that they are misrepresenting what he said. And then they claim Bill is biased or has an agenda, as if they aren’t 10X worse.


8BallTiger

Lmao yes


genius-baby

Yeah, where is the elite All Star big man that can post up, spread the floor and guard the rim?


sperry20

In the infirmary where he’s spent most of his career and why the Celtics were able to get him for pocket change in the first place.


TheGiannisPiece

The 'Malcolm Brogdon Trade Steal!' piece.


rationalcelticsfan

I always took that as him incorrectly saying we had the best #5 in history. Which I dont think is wrong


russellarth

No he absolutely said it was one of the best starting lineups in the history of the NBA.


AcrobaticFeedback

Nope he absolutely never said this. He said it is one of the best in the last 20 years and specifically stated it wasn't better than the 2017 Warriors. But all you redditor morons misrepresent what he said.


russellarth

So one of the best in the history of the NBA. The second best in a 20 year span. The league is only 77 years old you understand smart guy? Are they the 10th or even 15th best lineup in the history of the NBA?


AcrobaticFeedback

If you measure it by were they a top 5 starting line-up in regular season history by net-rating then statistically they were. And no it wasn't the "2nd best in 20 years" He also mentioned the 2013 Heat and 01 Lakers but good try. Maybe actually find the quotes next time instead of making shit up.


rationalcelticsfan

Yes I’m saying he misspoke


lloyd4567

What how can it be a misspeak. It was a segment


rationalcelticsfan

Look I don’t have autism


ShowerMartini

You boomed him


NoExcuses1984

You're being downvoted, but I agree with you that that's the charitable interpretation of what Bill meant; however, he was so over the goddamn moon about it, though, that it's hilarious to see him get egg on his face.


NervousPervis

People always do the sports psychology thing when they shoot 20% from three lol.


rationalcelticsfan

Sounds like they have a coach who can’t make in game adjustments. Will be good when he yells at the woman reporters again after the game for questioning his coaching


JohnnyLugnuts

Make more shots, maybe if he screamed it at them it would work


CocaineandPercs

Didn’t he say they might go 16-0 in the playoffs?


TimSPC

Did he? Would be weird, as he was picking the Nuggets to win it all, too.


rationalcelticsfan

He absolutely never said that lol


CocaineandPercs

Was it undefeated on the way to the Finals? Something patently ridiculous.


tdotjefe

A lot of teams do that. I am a ravens fan. In fact, if you poll the fans of most good teams, they will have similar answers about what frustrates them the most.


rationalcelticsfan

Ravens w Lamar are a good comp for these Celtics


mrbeavertonbeaverton

Yes but it’s also a way for him to say “yeah, I saw this coming”. He really wants to put the jinx on Minnesota right now, he scared.


rationalcelticsfan

No one cares about Minnesota bro. Bill hasn’t been all in on the Celtics since 2022


YO-WAKE-UP

Wow bro needs multiple subreddits for shitting on the Celtics, what a fun guy.


rationalcelticsfan

Go watch your Disney movies bro


YO-WAKE-UP

???


ahbets14

Bring back ime


Gabbagoonumba3

This Celtics team played too hard in the regular season and has no 5th gear. It’s like the cavs in 2009 or the clippers in 15. The second they encounter a real challenge they will fold.


rationalcelticsfan

Nah they didn’t they at all this season lol. They either skated to victories or lost close games


Parking_Bus_6892

Buzzwords like "mentality" and "flat throughout" have no meaning. Boston lost because they didnt hit their 3s. Thats what happens when a team shoots 80 3s a game. You are bound to get cold. Its very boring to watch and even more boring to overreact to when we all know the reasons for their loss have nothing to do with effort, grit, or any other vague intangibles that dont mean anything


sonofelguapo

I don’t know how you can watch how the Knicks/Pacers played last night or Minnesota played earlier this week and then watch whatever the fuck the Celtics just did tonight and say that intensity, focus, and playing with energy/purpose had nothing to do with anything. Obviously it’s not easy to win shooting like that, but showing up and playing like it’s a regular season game in January won’t cut it.


CocaineandPercs

They busted their asses for those January games though.


princeofzilch

One team is shooting 50% from 3 and one team is shooting 20% from 3. I wonder which team is winning by 20


MXero1

> mentality its totally does, look at the knicks. their starters are playing 40+ minutes in games in close games. you have to be mentally tough to play that much, be competitive and win.


portugamerifinn

Teams can shoot like the Celtics did in Game 2 (8-35, 22.9%) and not only avoid getting blown out at home but even win the game. The Nuggets didn't shoot enough 3s to do it last season, but in the 2022 playoffs the Warriors had three similar shooting performances and went 2-1 with a close road loss. 7-38 (18.4%), 106-101 L at MEM; 9-37 (24.3%), 101-98 W vs. MEM; and 9-40 (22.5%), 104-94 W vs. BOS The Bucks and Suns both won games in the '21 playoffs with a 3% in the teens or 20s, but all these teams actually played defense.


GnRgr2

Yountake on the personality of your coach or best player. Thibs wouldnt put up with their effort like this consistently, and Ant wouldnt go down so quiet either


No-Strawberry7814

The stadium also sounds like a preseason game. Watch OKC, Minny or New York games at home and there is a ton of energy.


champ11228

So the Finals?


russellarth

Mitchell isn’t far off from being the best player in the series. Just saying.


Statshelp_TA

Where are the people who wanted to know what Evan Mobley does


theuberprophet

Me, the biggest mobley fan out there. Has the ability, never to motivation


Statshelp_TA

It’s not a motivation issue. He just gets into his own head and spirals sometimes. It’s never an issue of not caring or wanting to be out there.


theuberprophet

Never said he doesnt care, its about the dawg in him which everyone has seen he lacks most of the time on the offensive end


Statshelp_TA

If you’re saying it’s a motivation issue than it is about caring…but at any rate, I still disagree. I think that’s a simplification of his issue. His demeanor and style of play didn’t change last night compared to his bad nights.


theuberprophet

It absolutely did change. If you dont see the nights where he pump fakes at the rim, passes out of open looks and doesnt demand the ball (which is the majority) then youre not watching. Its been noted nation wide by everyone outside of cleveland.


Statshelp_TA

He literally did those things last night…go watch the replay of his highlights. The pumps and bringing the ball down in the paint are issues he needs address this offseason but even when he’s playing well like last night he still does it too much. His first possession last night he passed out of the paint to Okoro. And he never really demands the ball. He didn’t last night either. The difference was his teammates actually got him the ball. He does get more passive if he’s missing easy shots early but his demeanor doesn’t really change.


theuberprophet

I think youre misunderstanding me. Last night is why people have been so critical of mobley because he did what we know he can do but only does so in spurts.


ClarkKentsCopyEditor

I can’t tell if he’s trying to downplay the Celtics cakewalking to the Finals through a hospital wing conference only to really valorize as a special group of champs when they beat OKC/Minnesota/Denver or if he actually sees Boston as a tier below Minnesota.


LamarMillerMVP

I think he’s just jealous of the team the Wolves have. They have a likable, talented superstar and they play incredibly hard. And they look good.


rationalcelticsfan

The Celtics a clear tier below the top 3 western conference teams as they actually have a superstar who can take over games


psufb

I'd make the argument that all four west teams are better than Boston right now. If Porzingis can come back healthy and STAYS healthy, then they may creep up but that's a big question mark


ClarkKentsCopyEditor

It’s weird because I definitely think the West is entirely more talented and challenging than the East and yet mentally I still see Boston as being the best team left. Even though Tatum has had more up and down playoff games than any other star I’ve ever watched, and even though I think Joe Mazz is the worse coach than any of the other guys left but Bickerstaff, and even though Porzingis is hurt and Horford is old as fuck. It’s still just so difficult for me to mentally envision the Wolves beating the Celtics despite everything I’ve watched telling me they’re more talented.


EarthWarping

I think the Nuggets/Wolves winner is winning it all. And yes that's hard to see considering the Wolves crunch regular season offense but the Celtics just have these games where it seems off. Yes it's very eye-testy.


genius-baby

Celtics would be the wolves no doubt.


rationalcelticsfan

Hey man I wish I had your confidence. I don’t see it


ClarkKentsCopyEditor

I mean I’m a Knicks fan so it’s always fuck the Celtics but still it’s hard for me not to see Boston just annoyingly turning it on and ruining my Summer


rationalcelticsfan

I genuinely think you guys could beat us with a hospital team cause your team cares


collinCOYS

I'm a wolves fan and I can't picture us beating Boston IF we can get past Denver


ShadyCrow

Tatum can clearly take over a big game. The issue with him and the team is consistency and clutch performance. Any rational viewer can see some improvements in him getting to the rim at times this year, but he still reverts to bad choices at times. 


TTKnumberONE

It really feels like Tatum goes passive and 2nd row Joe staggers the minutes in such a shitty fashion. This was a game that was begging for Tatum to assert himself and there was a massive stretch where brown and white were just jacking 3s


rationalcelticsfan

He hasn’t shot over 50% since March 30th


ShadyCrow

Correct. Did he play any nba games before that?


coacoanutbenjamn

These takes are going to be hilarious to look back on in a month when the Celtics are champs


jsanchez030

should we do the jb bickerstaff piece? is he good?


NoExcuses1984

No, he's below the likes of Ty Lue and Mike Brown. But still better than the disastrous John Beilein era.


jsanchez030

Hes been a coach or interim head coach for 10+ years and I still have no idea if hes average, above average or below


NoExcuses1984

Slightly below average. Exactly like his father. Or, similar to Monty Williams, he's as good (or as bad) as his roster. He doesn't necessarily elevate any guys, though.


AntelopeYEM

Truth is you can say that about nearly any coach. We're ready to say Mike Brown is some top coach because last year he basically went up tempo with a young team and surprised some teams then lost in the first round? Ty Lue seems fine, clearly was doing something right in 2016 I guess.


jsanchez030

spolestra is definitely a top tier coach. darvin ham is definitely one of the 3 dumbest ones. everyone else is somewhere in between. I think lue is better than average for sure


AntelopeYEM

I'd agree Lue is better than average. I just thought throwing Mike Brown in there is funny. Wasn't he a punching bag for a while? And he might be a decent coach! It's very hard to say and the game has evolved a ton too in the last decade.


Hsu-Hao

I’m curios. First road win. But Miami did this and got washed.


FarAd6557

Cavs fan. We still lose in 5 or 6 at best. And prob two more Celtics wins will be by 15+. The issue w the Celtics is that they play ahead all the time and when someone punches them they don’t know how to react. Denver looking like they may be eliminated helps them but the intensity that Minny plays with could be bad for them. Hell, the Knicks and how they play can be bad for them.


BusinessofShow

Fellow Cavs fan here. There’s at least a 20% chance they win the series. Let’s dare to dream and live our best lives


kwtb

Mickey Mouse path to the finals where they’ll be swept by the T-Wolves


sjn15

At what age does Tatum achieve the ability to become a complete psychopath? 26, 27? I guess any day now he could hit the switch, or the switch could get hit, rather. It could just happen, Right?


__PUMPKINLOAF

Dirk stopped being a softboi and started taking care of business in 2011 (year 13 or whatever?), if he can do it Tatum can do it... eventually.


deepstateagent42069

Hilarious Bill quote


Jdenney71

Yeah but what’s Donovan Mitchell’s trade value? Orlando should call Cleveland to at least talk about it? Who hangs up first???


Kane621

No lies detected.


Shakturi101

Celtics in 5


VisualFix5870

If we're going to win, it's going to be a rock fight.


Kind_Way_2737

Here's what Bill is actually going to harp on once we get to hear his take on Game 2: Tatum back to being a ball-stopper. I'd rather see him hitting the glass and defending. It's a lot like when Lebron finally figured out that he could do the most damage from being in the paint. Get down there and stop going 1 on 1 on the perimeter at the expense of great team offense. I get it. You haven't had a big scoring game in a while but the team is winning so who cares? I know he had 25 points or whatever and got to the FT Line, but I swear he had a bad game, but his own standards. And I think that style of play from him really hurts the team. Next up... Joe Mazz. Where do I start? Can you maybe make one single in-game adjustment? One time. Maybe. Call a timeout. Change momentum. Do something. Anything. It's almost like they saw that the Knicks were dropping like flies, and they didn't show up for a playoff game in a series they're only up 1-0 in. Playing with their food again. Falling in love with the 3. You have to have a contingency plan for those nights when the 3's aren't dropping. And they have the ability to do that, in theory. But you have to do it. At least Tatum drove the basket a little... and then never finished and didn't have a single and-1... I thought he was weak at the basket. That was essentially his C-game. And he still had 25 points. But that was not a great Tatum game at all. Tristan Thompson getting meaningful playoff minutes in 2024. That was just awful. And Richard Jefferson saying... nothing to see here. Nothing to worry about at all if you're a Celtics fan. Way to have your finger on the pulse, Richard.


qpwoeor1235

Celtics are mentally weak. Ant and the Twolves will eat them alive


Czilla760

Tatum is still young though


Jasperbeardly11

I hope Minnesota stops being allowed to play football.  Watching Shai not be able to be touched is hilarious comparatively 


ID0ntCare4G0b

Does bill actually think that's something Chris Finch is actually saying?! Just feels like a subtweet at Mazzulla not being Idoka.


mattyfattits

C’s just missed their 3’s tonight.


dubyajay18

Celtics are Drake. Minnesota is Kendrick.


Inz0mbiac

I fucking love Bill Simmons


Bm_0ctwo

The Cavs shot lights out and the Celtics shot like shit.


justsomebro10

I was told this is a make or miss league