NBA Finals Thread - Celtics vs Mavericks

[HuskyHawk]

I actually disagree with a lot of the characterizations of the White & Brodgon trades. My arguments:

- White was an analytics darling that everyone in the league knew was great. We gave up essentially two first-rounders, a recent lotto pick who still had some upside (didn't pan out, but still), and a rotation player. That's a good haul for the Spurs.

The real win there was Brad not feeling like he had to beat the other team's brains out in order to get the deal done -- he doesn't mind if the headline is "both teams win."

What turned this into a one-sided Celtics win were two things:

• We got hot as soon as we landed white, which made the '22 first-rounder we gave up much worse.
• White turned into a 40% 3-point shooter.

That second part is especially relevant right now given how scared he was to shoot the ball vs. the Dubs in the '22 finals.

- Bringing Brogdon in was actually a very good job. He was 6th Man of the Year and was absolutely massive in last year's playoffs before he got hurt. He's the one who kept us in Game 6 vs. the Sixers before Tatum snapped out of it and went berserk. And then, because he'd been so good, he became a key piece in the Jrue trade.

Again, this was a fairly even deal: we got him for two rotation pieces (Theis & Nesmith) and a first-rounder.

---------------------

In all, it's worth remembering that we'd have made three straight finals (this being No. 3) with even a little bit of injury luck last year. I think Danny put us in a position to be this kind of team because he drafted so well for basically a decade straight. But it's been Brad's willingness to go in for 50/50 trades that have upside for both sides that's actually gotten us over the hump.

I don't think everyone knew White was great. His offense was too limited at that point. Agree it was a fair deal and they gave up quite a bit. Not a Danny special. I also don't think he'd be "great" on every team, he's a great fit with Boston.

As for Brogdon it was a good trade by Boston. He just wasn't a long term solution at PG. His defense isn't there and his offense, while good, is an old school ISO skillset. Good player, not the best fit. I think they thought they could get him to play the way they wanted. He still was good.

 

[aceboon]

welp...

 

[HooperScooper]

I, too, could be great in the pick and roll passing it to the best roster in the NBA.

So you picked what you think is "the best roster in the NBA" to lose the series?

 

[bazz&boujee]

welp...

A torn medial WHAT allowing a dislocated whatchamacallit? Sweet baby jesus

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

welp...

I knew it. When I was watching him after Game 2 I immediately thought "it looks like he's got a torn medial retinaculum - I hope that doesn't allow dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon."

 

[HooperScooper]

FWIW

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

So you picked what you think is "the best roster in the NBA" to lose the series?

Didn’t think the Celtics could get away with Tatum playing this bad and still winning. Still have to win on the road too so it’s not over!

 

[nomar]

welp...

I don't care if he's smiling, this is bad

 

[HuskyHawk]

I knew it. When I was watching him after Game 2 I immediately thought "it looks like he's got a torn medial retinaculum - I hope that doesn't allow dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon."

I hope they pack him with huge ice packs all over his body before the game. Seemed to work for Luka.

 

[aceboon]

 

[nelsonmuntz]

He's actually been the most efficient playmaker in the postseason out of the pick-and-roll, which is significant given this is the spread pick-and-roll era. And Boston's ORtg with him on the court in the playoffs is 122, which craters down to 107.6 when he's not.

But I understand casuals aren't able to comprehend anything more complex than FG%.

The Celtics have been cruising throughout the playoffs, so much of the postseason has been garbage time with clock-killing, which will drive efficiency down with the second unit.

Secondly, are you saying that Tatum is a good player? You needed to go to a deep stat analysis to come up with that insight? Maybe you should be careful about who you call a casual.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Even only 20 minutes of the Unicorn in Game 3 is 20 minutes the Mavericks will get smoked.

 

[HooperScooper]

Didn’t think the Celtics could get away with Tatum playing this bad and still winning. Still have to win on the road too so it’s not over!

No they don’t. Do you know the Celtics have home court advantage in this series? There could be 4 games in Boston and at most 3 in Dallas.

You’re all over the place in this thread. You should just give up on the Celtics hate.

 

[nomar]

The Celtics have been cruising throughout the playoffs, so much of the postseason has been garbage time with clock-killing, which will drive efficiency down with the second unit.

Secondly, are you saying that Tatum is a good player? You needed to go to a deep stat analysis to come up with that insight? Maybe you should be careful about who you call a casual.

Not sure why you thought insulting Matrim for using statistical evidence to rebut the argument that Tatum is "super inefficient offensively" was a smart idea.

 

[HitDog]

Didn’t think the Celtics could get away with Tatum playing this bad and still winning. Still have to win on the road too so it’s not over!

No they don't

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

You should just give up on the Celtics hate.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Not sure why you thought insulting Matrim for using statistical evidence to rebut the argument that Tatum is "super inefficient offensively" was a smart idea.

I don’t care what advanced stats yall want to pull out yall rear.

If a guy continues to take the most shots in a game and struggles to make most of the them, that is an inefficient player.

ESPECIALLY when he should have all the room and spacing in the world that players of his caliber do not get.

 

[nomar]

If this is true and he feels OK, they should play him, if only for 15 minutes. Win Game 3 and push Dallas to the brink.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He's missed a lot of good shots. He's getting into the lane at will because Luka's been a turnstyle. He missed like 4 driving layups he normally hit by shooting too hard.

He's been shooting as bad as possible, but most of it doesn't feel like the late game Celtics ** offense. I think it's a combination of the Mavs selling out to stop him and him not rising fully to the moment. At least he has contributed defensively and elsewhere on offense. He has 20 rebounds and 17 assists over the two games.

He also got fouled on some of those. But that’s the way the NBA is calling things.

 

[IndyLives]

Devastating blow. This reminds me of Perk blowing out his knee in Game 6, which cost us a title against the Lakers. I dont think the C's can beat the Mavs without an effective Porzingis.

 

[nomar]

I knew it. When I was watching him after Game 2 I immediately thought "it looks like he's got a torn medial retinaculum - I hope that doesn't allow dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon."

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I knew it. When I was watching him after Game 2 I immediately thought "it looks like he's got a torn medial retinaculum - I hope that doesn't allow dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon."

 

[aceboon]

Day to day=we will see you next season

 

[nomar]

Well, we’re likely going to be up 2-1 after tonight, so maybe the medical staff won’t be so conservative for Game 4

Celtics look like dogshlt

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Well, we’re likely going to be up 2-1 after tonight, so maybe the medical staff won’t be so conservative for Game 4

Celtics look like dogshlt

Don’t try to reverse jinx your way out of this!