Welp. The Celtics misplaced. It isn’t what ought to have occurred, nevertheless it did. So now what? I wished to supply my perspective on this…
The Good:
Brown is a legit 5 place defender
I assumed that the transfer to place Brown on Embiid was virtually as wonderful as his defensive efficiency this recreation. This was an awesome adjustment by Joe Mazzulla. I used to be much more comfortable to see it as a fan.
Jaylen was already seen as a 4 place defender. Possibly 4 and a half as a result of he may defend some bigs. However to protect Embiid like that? In the event you can defend an enormous with that type of measurement, athleticism, and ability, you may defend bigs generally. I am very comfortable to say I can formally name Brown a real 5 place defender. That is no small feat in evaluating his degree as a participant.
Hugo Gonzalez will probably be large for us
I’ve made no secret of my fanaticism for the child. Identical for my arguments about his must play. It isn’t that I believe Walsh or the opposite younger wings taking part in over him had been dangerous. It is simply that Gonzalez is an affect participant in a really low key but essential method. He is a big a part of why our bench was so constructive in internet score within the common season. So to go away from that heading into the postseason was dangerous for us. That is my take.
We noticed a glimpse of Hugo this recreation, although. He was fairly good. Possibly too little too late for this sequence, however this additionally factors to the intense future. Give this child an offseason of improvement and let him blossom subsequent 12 months. He is the true deal.
This staff is kind of younger.
Since we removed most of our vets final offseason, what we’re left with is the Jays, White, and a bunch of younger youngsters. Properly, I suppose Pritchard and Hauser are 28. And I suppose Vuc is outdated. Anyhow, the purpose is a lot of the staff are youthful gamers. Expertise issues within the playoffs.
What issues extra is roster development. The Celtics are in nice monetary place now. Since most of the gamers are nonetheless growing, they don’t seem to be what they finally may develop into. The staff will probably solely get higher. Boston nonetheless must make strikes, nevertheless it is not within the ultimate type. All of us knew that coming into the 12 months. A few of us forgot.
The Dangerous:
Stay by the three, die by the three.
This appears to be our motto. Our staff can get sizzling and look dominant or chilly and lose effectiveness. It is considerably the character of the beast with basketball, however to not this diploma. Variance could discover it is degree on common, however playoff sequence are too small of a pattern measurement to solely depend on that. Approaching the sport as pure statistical averages additionally take out human components like state of my and clutchness.
Again after we received our championship, we may win video games we received chilly extra simply. A wholesome Porzingis gave us one other mode when the photographs weren’t falling. Vacation was capable of elevate each offense and protection in delicate but essential methods.
The Celtics at present lack sufficient of one other mode. They mainly attempt to iso and pressure issues when their ball motion is what makes them most particular. Porzingis submit ups had been a greater type of iso due to the way it opened up different issues.
The large want is clear as ever.
A few of us mentioned it going into the 12 months, across the commerce deadline, and after. Queta developed right into a helpful massive that interprets to the playoffs. However it can’t be simply him. We would have liked one other defensive massive at minimal. Vuc and Garza aren’t that. Vucevic is de facto not the reply generally. The Celtics ought to look to maneuver on from him and exchange the void with a greater massive.
Joe’s rotations leaned too closely on the celebs.
It must be mentioned. The Celtics constructed lots of their wents of a deep bench and hustle. So why does Mazzulla must play guys just like the Jays and White over 40 minutes? I perceive you wish to play your greatest gamers within the greatest video games, however they’re human.
How usually do they go chilly on the finish of playoff video games, and also you marvel, weren’t their legs just a little drained? That may sound like a foolish excuse, nevertheless it’s not. Practically all the pieces you do in sports activities begins out of your decrease physique. And whenever you get drained, your muscle tissue can have much less stregnth to present. What I am saying is preserving them contemporary may result in higher taking pictures.
What’s worse for me is Boston’s id all 12 months was a deep bench, after which Joe abandons that technique to pressure the Jays and White to play heavier minutes. It is unnecessary. He ought to have blended within the younger wings greater than he did most video games, particularly Hugo.
You wish to be a two method staff with hustle? Cease overusing gamers. You need the staff to shut out a playoff sequence? Do not burn them out within the first half of it.
The Ugly:
That is the second misplaced sequence in a row the place the Celtics had been favored.
There isn’t a method to sugarcoat it. Shedding this sequence is dangerous. Shedding it from up 3-1 is catastrophically dangerous. We should not have misplaced to the Knicks final 12 months. And you may possibly discuss Miami, too. The sequence from the 12 months earlier than we received a chip was one other received we had been favored and misplaced. It is a regarding sample.
Say what you need in regards to the unusual circumstances and the 76ers being extra gifted than a traditional seventh seed. I do not suppose the highest 2 seeds within the East had been that a lot of benefit this 12 months with groups just like the Magic and 76ers to face. Nonetheless, the Knicks and the Warmth weren’t as gifted as us. And the 76ers in all probability aren’t, both, despite them being probably the most gifted of the three after we confronted them.
We had been favored for a purpose and went up 3-1. There isn’t a excuse for shedding 3 video games in a row as a favourite. Discover a method to win. Discover a method to be higher at house, too.
We needlessly gave the 76ers new life.
The distinction a recreation could make had been proven in video games 2. Had the Celtics took care of enterprise in recreation two like we had been imagined to, none of this occurs. The 76ers final recreation is the one the place Embiid comes again, appears to be like tough, they usually get blown out. If that occurs, they could even be speaking of needing to maneuver on from Embiid proper now. I went to Liberty Ballers after that recreation and lurked, so I do know even 76ers followers had been very down on their staff after that recreation. There have been feedback like how the 76ers and their expertise was no match for higher groups like Boston.
However now? It is the other. The 76ers are in all probability trying to make one other run with Embiid, no matter how the remainder of their postseason goes. We may have burried a possible rival and as a substitute gave them a lift.
It is unclear how for much longer Embiid has left, however the 76ers backcourt goes to be there for a very long time. If the Celtics wish to matchup, we’ll want to determine their backcourt at the least as a lot as Embiid.
Tatum’s damage exposes a elementary flaw with the Celtics
They play him too darn a lot. What’s this, one other late recreation in a playoff sequence the place our iron man Tatum is injured? That is 3 of 4 years now underneath Joe Mazzulla.
First, the Miami sequence in 2022-23 noticed us get down 0-3 to an underdog Warmth staff. We clawed again to recreation 7 just for Tatum to get banged up.
After that, we had that Knicks upset in 2024-25 the place we went down 0-2 and needed to attempt to dig out of one other gap as the favourite. We had been clawing our method again, however misplaced in 6 and Tatum had the achilles damage on the finish. Tatum’s damage in all probability did not change the result of recreation 6 since we had been shedding anyhow, nevertheless it’s one other damage.
Everyone knows what occurred this 12 months since Tatum did not even play for recreation 7. I do know the Celtics are doing what he desires, however I believe he is been attempting to do an excessive amount of. One thing that’s frequent with dangerous accidents on one facet is usually you prefer the opposite facet. This may result in different accidents, although.
As dangerous as this playoff loss is, we could have dodged a bullet. As a result of we weren’t in an prolonged playoff run, the unfavorable affect from this may in all probability be minimal. Tatum will even have a bit extra time to heal than he would off a deep playoff run.
The problem I’ve is that this turned a sample for Boston. You may level to the final two playoff sequence as simply the freak achilles damage and oblique issues from it. The primary difficulty with that’s the achilles damage probably solely occurred as a result of Tatum was overworked within the first place. The second drawback is he additionally received banged up within the Miami sequence.
Again of their 2022 Finals run the place they misplaced to the Warriots, Ime Udoka went with a 7 man rotation. It is extremely probably the Celtics received worn down. Joe hasn’t been that egregious, however he does are inclined to lean on his greatest gamers for heavy minutes. The final time I felt we had a coach that did not do that was Brad Stevens.
What I am attempting to say the Celtics have leaned an excessive amount of on Tatum to tug heavy minutes. Brown and White have additionally had heavy minutes currently. Joe may in all probability lighted the load a bit and nonetheless have us be simply nearly as good, if not higher, as a result of they’ve a deep rotation of perimiter gamers and can be contemporary.
What now?
The Celtics are in place, truly. All of the individuals who talked about this being a rebuilding 12 months had been mistaken, however there have been facets of fact to it.
One benefit of the Vucevic commerce is the monetary implications of getting underneath the cap. The choice for possession to not pay to maintain the contender collectively is controversial, however I do not suppose the negatives go a lot past this 12 months. Subsequent 12 months, we are able to exchange the Vuc contract with one other sturdy participant by way of commerce and/or TPE. And after that, we’ll be clear to load up over the apron once more.
With the Jays, White, Pritchard, and a load of younger expertise, we’re in prime place to begin loading up for extra championship runs.
The principle focus for areas of enhancements needs to be on Gonzalez, Scheierman, and improvening the entrance courtroom. I believe Hauser could possibly be traded since one affect is opening up extra minutes for youthful gamers.
