2024 Playoffs ECSF: Cavs (4) / Celtics (1) (1-4)

[ijspeelman]

I was ready to fire JB at halftime after he put Niang and Morris in the same unit and we gave back the lead. Then Mobley had to get his 4th foul in 3rd for TT to get in, and he gave us great minutes.

I still don't think Niang should touch the floor. Even tho Merrill isn't hitting his shots, he seems to be the better impact player rn.

Tristan has given great play-off minutes this whole year so far. Honestly, would love to extend him another contract based on what we've seen from him here and in the RS.

With TT and LeVert, you've got a 7-man rotation. If you play Morris and Merrill 2-3 minutes a half (not together), that should be enough so that Niang doesn't see the floor again.

But I'll be surprised if Porzingis isn't back by Game 5, and at that point, it would be great to have Allen back.

The team keeps teasing Wade and Allen back and I think its a little bit of a game on the Celtics. Based on the reports, Allen sounds like he won't be back for much longer than him being day-to-day, but they've been pretty tight lipped so we will see. With Wade, it really seems like they want to get him some run here soon, but we will again have to see.

I am kinda just assuming they don't play this series. Celts basically said KP isn't playing this round which means I now expect him back for game three lol

[JujitsuFlip]

I've seen a lot of ppl talk about the three point discrepancy and will admit that if the Celts shots as well as the Cavs did it literally would have been a tie game. However, I really do think our shot quality was much better and their threes were worse than game one (we will have to see on nba.com tomorrow).

To JB's credit, he's been preaching holding the Celts to 40 threes or less and they only had 35.

Overall, probably the best collective game we've played in a few months lol

jb has actually been preaching 30 threes or less.

46 game 1 and 35 game 2. Subtract garbage time and the Cavs are in the neighborhood of where they wanna be.

jb is also emphasizing keeping them off the free throw line, which they attempted 24 tonight. Not a lot ya can do there though Brown and Tatum get calls.

We'll see how game 3 goes. Wade being able to eat Morris' minutes would be ideal, ease him back in. Allen is probably closer but i would almost bring him off the bench, let Mobley keep feasting at the 5.

[ijspeelman]

I still don't think Niang should touch the floor. Even tho Merrill isn't hitting his shots, he seems to be the better impact player rn.

Tristan has given great play-off minutes this whole year so far. Honestly, would love to extend him another contract based on what we've seen from him here and in the RS.

With TT and LeVert, you've got a 7-man rotation. If you play Morris and Merrill 2-3 minutes a half (not together), that should be enough so that Niang doesn't see the floor again.

But I'll be surprised if Porzingis isn't back by Game 5, and at that point, it would be great to have Allen back.

The team keeps teasing Wade and Allen back and I think its a little bit of a game on the Celtics. Based on the reports, Allen sounds like he won't be back for much longer than him being day-to-day, but they've been pretty tight lipped so we will see. With Wade, it really seems like they want to get him some run here soon, but we will again have to see.

I am kinda just assuming they don't play this series. Celts basically said KP isn't playing this round which means I now expect him back for game three lol

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...will we find out if playoff Dean Wade is real?

[jbk1234]

Morris was -14 in a game we won by 24. Niang was - 5.

[toooskies]

Morris was -14 in a game we won by 24. Niang was - 5.

Boston wants to switch on defense and Morris lets them. Just no rim pressure even if he gets a guard on him.

[jbk1234]

Morris was -14 in a game we won by 24. Niang was - 5.

Boston wants to switch on defense and Morris lets them. Just no rim pressure even if he gets a guard on him.

The thing with Niang, Morris, and Merrill, is that I
really don't understand playing any of them together. They all need to shoot well to hit the net break even point. They're all limited defensively. There's a rather large sample size of suckage when two of the three are on floor, especially against good teams.

I also think that Garland is beginning to resent being the guard who has to play in those units.

[JonFromVA]

Morris was -14 in a game we won by 24. Niang was - 5.

Boston wants to switch on defense and Morris lets them. Just no rim pressure even if he gets a guard on him.

The thing with Niang, Morris, and Merrill, is that I
really don't understand playing any of them together. They all need to shoot well to hit the net break even point. They're all limited defensively. There's a rather large sample size of suckage when two of the three are on floor, especially against good teams.

I also think that Garland is beginning to resent being the guard who has to play in those units.

Almost anything can work if we're able to create shots and make them, and the opponent is a little tired and front-rimming their shots. Sammy has been struggling with his shot since he got horse collared, and I have no clue what's going on with Niang other than he's had to force up a lot of his shots.

toooskies remark may address something I was wondering, which is why we didn't keep exploiting the Celtics drop coverage more. We did that really well for a change since Mitchell and Garland were both hitting their shots; but then it seemed we went away from it. If Boston started switching, that could certainly be why.

Surely the Celtics are going to be watching tape and seeing how easily their wings were attacking our guards and getting in to the paint. They just need to pull Mobley away from the rim and they can spam that all night and day.

So yeah, it would be cool if we got Wade or Allen back before they figure out they don't have to make 3's to beat us.

[jbk1234]

Boston wants to switch on defense and Morris lets them. Just no rim pressure even if he gets a guard on him.

The thing with Niang, Morris, and Merrill, is that I
really don't understand playing any of them together. They all need to shoot well to hit the net break even point. They're all limited defensively. There's a rather large sample size of suckage when two of the three are on floor, especially against good teams.

I also think that Garland is beginning to resent being the guard who has to play in those units.

Almost anything can work if we're able to create shots and make them, and the opponent is a little tired and front-rimming their shots. Sammy has been struggling with his shot since he got horse collared, and I have no clue what's going on with Niang other than he's had to force up a lot of his shots.

toooskies remark may address something I was wondering, which is why we didn't keep exploiting the Celtics drop coverage more. We did that really well for a change since Mitchell and Garland were both hitting their shots; but then it seemed we went away from it. If Boston started switching, that could certainly be why.

Surely the Celtics are going to be watching tape and seeing how easily their wings were attacking our guards and getting in to the paint. They just need to pull Mobley away from the rim and they can spam that all night and day.

So yeah, it would be cool if we got Wade or Allen back before they figure out they don't have to make 3's to beat us.

Playing those guys together in the playoffs isn't going to work because you're just giving up way, way too much on defense. JB's players saved him from himself last night because that unit gave back the entire lead and if a couple of the Celtics non bench-players got cooking, we're looking at a completely different game.

The Cavs need to dump Niang on non-playoff team this summer. That's just a miss on Altman's part. Merrill is spot minute player in the playoffs until he learns to shoot from deeper on the court. Korver was 6'7". Defenses couldn't recover on him off of curls and screens the way they've been able to with Merrill. If you're getting your shock blocked by Pritchard, it's difficult to see which players, who will actually see the floor in the playoffs, you can get your shot off against.

Morris won't be back.

[JonFromVA]

The thing with Niang, Morris, and Merrill, is that I
really don't understand playing any of them together. They all need to shoot well to hit the net break even point. They're all limited defensively. There's a rather large sample size of suckage when two of the three are on floor, especially against good teams.

I also think that Garland is beginning to resent being the guard who has to play in those units.

Almost anything can work if we're able to create shots and make them, and the opponent is a little tired and front-rimming their shots. Sammy has been struggling with his shot since he got horse collared, and I have no clue what's going on with Niang other than he's had to force up a lot of his shots.

toooskies remark may address something I was wondering, which is why we didn't keep exploiting the Celtics drop coverage more. We did that really well for a change since Mitchell and Garland were both hitting their shots; but then it seemed we went away from it. If Boston started switching, that could certainly be why.

Surely the Celtics are going to be watching tape and seeing how easily their wings were attacking our guards and getting in to the paint. They just need to pull Mobley away from the rim and they can spam that all night and day.

So yeah, it would be cool if we got Wade or Allen back before they figure out they don't have to make 3's to beat us.

Playing those guys together in the playoffs isn't going to work because you're just giving up way, way too much on defense. JB's players saved him from himself last night because that unit gave back the entire lead and if a couple of the Celtics non bench-players got cooking, we're looking at a completely different game.

The Cavs need to dump Niang on non-playoff team this summer. That's just a miss on Altman's part. Merrill is spot minute player in the playoffs until he learns to shoot from deeper on the court. Korver was 6'7". Defenses couldn't recover on him off of curls and screens the way they've been able to with Merrill. If you're getting your shock blocked by Pritchard, it's difficult to see which players, who will actually see the floor in the playoffs, you can get your shot off against.

Morris won't be back.

*shrugs*

If Niang and Merrill were actually making their open shots and the quick fire tough shots they are usually capable of making - it would be a whole other story.

[ijspeelman]

However, I really do think our shot quality was much better and their threes were worse than game one (we will have to see on nba.com tomorrow).

Well, I did the research and the Celts shot quality was def worse, but not by too much. The x% stats are the expected % for their shots based on this RS btw.

Doing this exercise has made me realize how crazy their 3P% actually is. All of White, Hauser, Holiday, Pritchard, Horford, Porzingis, and Tatum shoot well above 40% from wide open attempts. In comparison, the Cavs have Merrill, Wade, Niang, Mitchell, Mobley (?), and Morris Sr (technically, but his volume for all his teams this year was low).

They also have Holiday, Hauser, White, and Brown shooting 40% on open threes. Wtf. Cavs just have Okoro (on 13 attempt sample) and Mitchell.

[toooskies]

However, I really do think our shot quality was much better and their threes were worse than game one (we will have to see on nba.com tomorrow).

Well, I did the research and the Celts shot quality was def worse, but not by too much. The x% stats are the expected % for their shots based on this RS btw.

Doing this exercise has made me realize how crazy their 3P% actually is. All of White, Hauser, Holiday, Pritchard, Horford, Porzingis, and Tatum shoot well above 40% from wide open attempts. In comparison, the Cavs have Merrill, Wade, Niang, Mitchell, Mobley (?), and Morris Sr (technically, but his volume for all his teams this year was low).

They also have Holiday, Hauser, White, and Brown shooting 40% on open threes. Wtf. Cavs just have Okoro (on 13 attempt sample) and Mitchell.

I saw a tweet where this was actually the worst shot quality the Celtics have gotten all year.

[ijspeelman]

However, I really do think our shot quality was much better and their threes were worse than game one (we will have to see on nba.com tomorrow).

Well, I did the research and the Celts shot quality was def worse, but not by too much. The x% stats are the expected % for their shots based on this RS btw.

Doing this exercise has made me realize how crazy their 3P% actually is. All of White, Hauser, Holiday, Pritchard, Horford, Porzingis, and Tatum shoot well above 40% from wide open attempts. In comparison, the Cavs have Merrill, Wade, Niang, Mitchell, Mobley (?), and Morris Sr (technically, but his volume for all his teams this year was low).

They also have Holiday, Hauser, White, and Brown shooting 40% on open threes. Wtf. Cavs just have Okoro (on 13 attempt sample) and Mitchell.

I saw a tweet where this was actually the worst shot quality the Celtics have gotten all year.

That is insane in its own right lmao. I like the idea of limiting their attempts in general bc they have not really made us pay inside the arc

[JujitsuFlip]

Saw this on the GB, gave me a chuckle. jbk and i are famous lol

[ijspeelman]

[cavs4872]

Honestly if Allen is a go today, I still think you bring him off the bench and don't bring him until we get in danger (like down 10+). Ride Game 2's wave for now.

[ijspeelman]

I’ll be at the game today. Fell into the pre-sale trap again

[ijspeelman]

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[ijspeelman]

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[ijspeelman]

I can confirm Dean Wade is currently warming up

[JujitsuFlip]

Dang Wade and Allen trying to both give it a go?