How far can the Celtics go in the Playoffs, w/o a healthy Porzingis?

[Triple7]

Not to mention the 20 points per game that KP will give you.

KP may not be the ideal matchup for Jokic, but that doesn't mean the Cs are better off without KP against Denver.

I agree. KP will give the nuggets problems as well. Better to get those guys working on guarding KP.

[Triple7]

I don't think Cs can beat Denver without Porzingis.

But Cs can definitely beat all east teams without KP.

Of course we can. We just need to go ham on 3 for four games, and also hope JB doesn’t play drunk missin layups at the rim.

[Fierce1]

I don't think Cs can beat Denver without Porzingis.

But Cs can definitely beat all east teams without KP.

Of course we can. We just need to go ham on 3 for four games, and also hope JB doesn’t play drunk missin layups at the rim.

Yeah, this is JB's time to shine.

He could be the difference between a Game 5 and a Game 6.

If JB plays well, Cs in 5 against Magic or Cavs.

[Triple7]

I don't think Cs can beat Denver without Porzingis.

But Cs can definitely beat all east teams without KP.

Of course we can. We just need to go ham on 3 for four games, and also hope JB doesn’t play drunk missin layups at the rim.

Yeah, this is JB's time to shine.

He could be the difference between a Game 5 and a Game 6.

If JB plays well, Cs in 5 against Magic or Cavs.

Yes, we need Jb’s ability to get to the basket to open up our 3pt shooters.

[Fierce1]

Of course we can. We just need to go ham on 3 for four games, and also hope JB doesn’t play drunk missin layups at the rim.

Yeah, this is JB's time to shine.

He could be the difference between a Game 5 and a Game 6.

If JB plays well, Cs in 5 against Magic or Cavs.

Yes, we need Jb’s ability to get to the basket to open up our 3pt shooters.

As long as the Cs score around 110-120, opposing teams will have a hard time keeping up.

Scoring in the playoffs have gone down because of playoff pressure.

[Triple7]

Yeah, this is JB's time to shine.

He could be the difference between a Game 5 and a Game 6.

If JB plays well, Cs in 5 against Magic or Cavs.

Yes, we need Jb’s ability to get to the basket to open up our 3pt shooters.

As long as the Cs score around 110-120, opposing teams will have a hard time keeping up.

Scoring in the playoffs have gone down because of playoff pressure.

I agree nobody can keep up if we score. Also, unlike the pacers, our guys can play D if they are not being lazy stupid lol.

[Fierce1]

Yes, we need Jb’s ability to get to the basket to open up our 3pt shooters.

As long as the Cs score around 110-120, opposing teams will have a hard time keeping up.

Scoring in the playoffs have gone down because of playoff pressure.

I agree nobody can keep up if we score. Also, unlike the pacers, our guys can play D if they are not being lazy stupid lol.

That is 100% accurate.

[robbie84]

Our defense is just suffocating when we want it to be, and we are going to kill most NBA back courts with Jrue and White. Having Kristaps there behind them is amazing but Horford was absolutely awesome vs Miami defensively. Jrue Holiday, White and Pritchard is easily the best 3 man defensive guard rotation in the NBA. Pritchard is criminally under rated as a defender and the job he did on Tyler Herro these last few games has been elite. The ball pressure our 3 ball handlers put in opposing ball handlers is by far the best in the NBA.

Our scoring is excellent but it's our ball pressure and connectedness on defense that absolutely crushes opposing offenses.

[Lee Van Cleef]

A matchup with Magic can be problematic without KP. They crushed us in the in-season game once KP got injured and left. It was a tie when he got injured.

We will miss him in the finals though. We need every bit of scoring and rim protection there.

[sam_I_am]

KP’s shot blocking, the spacing he brings with his 3 point shooting and his finishes on lobs will be missed.

That said, his mobility issues make him less switchable on defense and his effectiveness in the post is much less with the physicality of the playoffs. In some ways the team may play as well on defense tonight without him.

The team can overcome his absence for now but I think the Cs will need him to get past Denver. They will be ripe for an epic and deeply disturbing upset by the Knicks without him - a literal worst case scenario ( if you’ve never lived through 1986 Mets or 2003 Yankees series you may not realize this yet ).

[Gant]

KP’s shot blocking, the spacing he brings with his 3 point shooting and his finishes on lobs will be missed.

That said, his mobility issues make him less switchable on defense and his effectiveness in the post is much less with the physicality of the playoffs. In some ways the team may play as well on defense tonight without him.

The team can overcome his absence for now but I think the Cs will need him to get past Denver. They will be ripe for an epic and deeply disturbing upset by the Knicks without him - a literal worst case scenario ( if you’ve never lived through 1986 Mets or 2003 Yankees series you may not realize this yet ).

Keeping it on basketball...1973.

The Knicks defeated the Celtics in the Eastern Finals because John Havlicek injured his shoulder in Game 3. Those Knicks were really good, but that 1973 Boston team was a level above- one of the greatest in franchise history. 68-14. They were better than the 74 or 76 champions. Havlicek sat out Game 4 and played one-handed off the bench after that, but wasn't himself.

[Bad-Thoma]

I think we are just fine starting Al, he's a better defender and distributor which helps makes up for the lack of offensive versatility. Great spacer though. The thing I am worried about is Al getting worn down as the playoffs go on from a higher minutes demand, we need good minutes from the bench to keep him fresh. I assume this will come from mostly Kornet with a smattering of Tillman or maybe Oshae if our opponent plays small.

[threrf23]

In theory, we will miss his interior scoring more than anything else, as that is what we cannot easily replace. Although we weren't making use of it against the Heat.

Al wants a chip bad, and people forget how good he can be when he wants it so bad and his legs can muster energy. Still, I would rather conserve him for now.

Kornet played well the other night, but I would love to see Tillman starting, and logging meaningful minutes in KP's absence. He just gives us a physical presence that IMO fills a void for us in and of itself. He is also a disruptive help defender, and in theory, the closest thing we have to a true defensive anchor (short of an energized Al or maybe a dialed in KP). On offense, you hope he can hit an open three or two while getting open for easy buckets near the rim.

In any event, we can easily win without KP against the Cavs or Magic. Hopefully he is able to return for the ECF. But the toughest opponent we could face in the East (IMO) is the Bucks & both Giannis and Dame are hobbled. Then we eye the Nuggets, but Jamal Murray has a calf strain, which in theory could become an achilles issue, and his backup this year is Reggie Jackson, something of a liability.

No need to get down on our chances.

[Bar Fight]

The same people saying we're fine without KP will be citing KP's injury if we fall short. Let's not downplay his importance to our success. A championship would be miraculous without him. Hopefully he's back at some point next round and this is all a moot point.

[playa-hater]

Why are most assuming it will be Denver? Denver may be the toughest matchup, but they are no lock to rep the West IMO.

Boston CAN BEAT anyone. should/will they be the Favorite without KP, probably Not. But my hope is that Tatum can step up his game and get some good support from the others.

I still believe.

[zoyathedestroya]

Let KP’s twin/clone Kristoff play in his place. They wouldn’t even notice. He’s the better basketball player but for some reason prefers horse racing as his favorite sport.

[sam_I_am]

The same people saying we're fine without KP will be citing KP's injury if we fall short. Let's not downplay his importance to our success. A championship would be miraculous without him. Hopefully he's back at some point next round and this is all a moot point.

He is a big part of this team much the way Rob Williams was before his knee injury. I think some here overrate him when they call him our second best player - is is probably 4th. He has already shown he isn’t a guy who can elevate his game in the playoffs in other cities and already in the heat series he looked less impactful than he was in regular season. Of course a lot of that has to do with Bam who is a bad matchup for him.

The Celtics were head and shoulders above the competition and almost every other top team in East has lost an impactful player: Giannis, Randolph, Mathurin, Butler and even the 76ers are playing with Embiid at 60%. The C’s are still better on paper that every other team in East without him. They are still better than the teams that got to finals and ECF the last 2 years without him IMO.

[hugepatsfan]

MIL if Giannis is healthy is the only team in the East they shouldn’t still beat without him. And I’m not saying that the rest of the field will be a cake walk or that a loss would be inexcusable, but Holiday/White/Brown/Tatum/Horford with Pritchard/Hauser/Kornet/Tillman off the bench is still a strong team. Backup 5 minutes are a weak spot but the roster is still elite otherwise.

[London2Boston]

Can get to the finals but Knicks or Healthy Bucks will be a real battle that goes either way.

[Curmudgeon]

Can get to the finals but Knicks or Healthy Bucks will be a real battle that goes either way.

It will be if Brown doesn't start playing better. Sorry to harp on this but he is supposed to be a star. If he were a role player performing like this he would be benched, and that would be the end of it.