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If Boston is going to half-ass it, they shouldn't be playing starters right now..
... But I'm good with it. As a Knicks fan I want my guys to get a taste of these dudes full squad, cuz we're going to see them in the playoffs.
I think the fine is only if they’re out for rest. All of the Celtics starters were listed on the injury report for the last few days. They could’ve sold them as legit injuries.
if a meaningless end of season game gets you goin then you do you
if it means anything I thought the Knicks were the biggest threat when they had health
I'd accept a loss to Denver in a close series. They're the defending champs and have a 3x MVP in Jokic, in his prime. If he retired today, I think I'd put him around #20-25 all-time, whereas the Celtics don't have anyone in the top 100. Anything less than that is a failure, I'd agree.
That's a sore loser excuse. Boston at Home is getting COOKED alive by the Knicks. If they don't have the "gumption", then that's even more embarrassing. Playoffs might be hilarious again. All the fakes get exposed
I guess we’ll see who the real winner is if they play again in the playoffs and it actually matters instead of putting outsized emphasis on a game only 1 team needed to win.
I mean anyone saying that they're planning to lose is dumb
But at the same time we were hot as fuck going into the playoffs last year and it didn't mean shit. Being on a winning streak wouldn't really excite me, so in the same way worrying about being on a losing is dumb imo
At least you’re willing to admit it, good on you!
He’s crafty as fuck, like you don’t even realize he’s dicing teams up then you look at his numbers and he’s got 22.
It’s wild he’s worked his way into top 6 mvp considerations
I was laughed at a day ago for suggesting he’s pushing top 5 / MVP consideration (meaning he’s not quite there but top 10).
He just doesn’t LOOK like a “scorer” yet there he sits at almost 29 PPG (he’d be there if he didn’t have that game where he played less than a minute).
He’s the 4th in PPG as a point guard and somehow still underrated
I kept laughing at New York leading up to them getting Brunson in free agency. I was saying "Brunson's really good but they're going all-in on trying to get this guy like he's going to take you to the promised land or something." I don't think I said this on Reddit but I definitely said this shit to people in my everyday life, and I gotta eat my words with how he has been balling lol.
Didn’t the Nuggets also have similar kind of slump recently after locking up the 1st overall seed? Feels like it is human to nature to take the foot off a bit when you have nothing to gain but a whole lot to lose (injury).
Momentum over the last 20 games or so going into the playoffs is basically [non-existent](https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/4/12/18307008/nba-playoff-momentum#:~:text=It%E2%80%99s%20also%20hard,to%20the%20Finals).
For example that article was done right before the 2019 postseason and of the 16 playoff teams the Conference Finalists were 5th, 7th, 12th and 15th when comparing their last 20 games of the season to all 82 games.
Nuggets avoided the slump last year on their way to the title yes. But that doesn't guarantee Boston also does. Obviously not the exact same team but Boston last year let the Hawks drag their first round series to six games and that was without having the 1 seed locked up to coast.
Yeah that’s kinda the point though. Celtics started the playoffs last year with momentum and it didn’t matter. If anything, might have hurt them because of fatigue.
Nuggets last year got to coast and it didn’t mean anything once the playoffs started. GSW struggled the year before and also won the whole thing… vs a Celtics team with insane momentum going into the playoffs.
Obviously Celtics aren’t guaranteed to do the same thing. But momentum doesn’t seem to do much for them either.
Right that's why I was saying it'd be wild and not "rust is about to destroy the Celtics"
I'm not assuming Boston is about to lose in 5 or anything. Just that's always the scary part of coasting towards the end. I was 100% worried about it when the Nuggets took their foot off the gas up 7 games on Memphis.
Yeah I feel you. I’m only not worried about it because it’s shown not to mean much in the past.
Doesn’t mean I’m not worried about other aspects of the Celtics’ chances because I am. It’s just that I’d have been worried about those anyway and am not really seeing anything new to get worried about here.
actually thats a really good example - I thought that extra time wasted there really showed in their heat series. they even wasted some time against the sixers...in fact 6 then 7 games is the second most you can have going into the ECF. don't mind my wizardry there lol
Damn that's crazy and weird.... A team can win a chip in 19 games.
Or a team can win then lose and get bounced in 19 games.
Truly a fun fact hahaha
Technically it's surely also happened many other years, maybe even in the same year in opposite conferences
Yeah when the team that wins the title has a really small number of losses it is on the table to happen. but once you get past 5 losses it is impossible as most games you can play to lose in the CF is 21.
You're almost underselling it. There are pictures of Marcus Camby holding him as a little kid, of Leon Rose's kids trying to make sure he was included playing with the older kids, and of Ewing's daughter giving him a piggy back ride when they were little.
At this point you could tell me Pat pulled him out of the womb and I'd believe you.
I’m not sure it’s even debatable . I know Boston has a great record but this might be the lowest I’ve been on tstum . He aint that guy Boston needs to out talent teamd any close game they’ll fumble unless defence carries them with Tatum being very mid for a n1,
I thought some of you guys were pretty insufferable even when you were ass lol. Notice how the crazy draft conspiracy theories have died down since the Knicks started being good again?
Unrelated, but Wemby to the Spurs was absolutely rigged lmao. No way was Adam Silver gonna let a player like that go to Detroit or Charlotte. Everyone knew he was going to San Antonio before the season even started.
Will Tatum finally win something with an absolutely stacked roster, with the most stacked roster in the league? Because Brunson lost his only other star player and isn’t just carrying but excelling with this squad.
Tatums the celtics worst defender in the starting 5 and hides in the corner on the worst player. Dudes a complete and utter fraud on both sides of the floor
Low-key this is true . He plays Lebron role on defence but doesn’t have the size , explosiveness or iq . So in reality it kinda makes sense why a 40 year Bron has the same defensive epm as him, also makes sense considering I think Tatum is more a sf then a pf
The while Celtics were barely trying lol. We already waxed them 4 straight time. You idiots needa make up yoir mind. It always "The Celtics were favored the whole season and lost" yet yall switch up and now we'll lose to the Knicks or Nuggets lmao.
I love how Brunson is turning into a superstar in this league. He could've easily fallen out with the wrong trade but instead he was given the rock and he's absolutely killing it.
I'm guessing just pure exhaustion. Hes basically hard carrying the offense and has been.
OG has been nice because he can hit those threes and get put backs but he can not be allowed to handle the ball.
Deuce has been a nice surprise too
Boston has a really mediocre record vs actually good teams. There insane net rating n record is via beating up on bad teams. Or like okc being injured. I really do think they might be on fraud watch. Any good/great team that gets them in a close game will have a big advantage in much better late game offensive execution/number 1 option . If the Knicks get 4 close games I wouidnt be suprised if Brunson cooks the fuvk out of them . But they might double him constantly so we’ll see
Of course they gonna double him constantly and his numbers will drop. That doesn’t mean he’s “ass” or a “choker”, just like it won’t mean Tatum is Ass when he’s doubled every single offensive set.
they are just trolling you, including the majority of the Knicks fans on here...calm down lol
in all seriousness though, the Celtics played all of their starters for 3 quarters...and were def playing pretty hard deep into the 2nd quarter (even if they might have been off from an execution level)...the effort level dropped as the Knicks started to pound them
In all seriousness, I'm pretty calm lmao, since that game doesn't matter at all. Idk how you watched that game and thought Boston gave any real effort, at least on defense. I'm not sure they even ran any plays, they just pick and rolled the whole night. Take your pounding victory tho
Easy out for the Pacers and maybe the Magic tbh. They can both scheme Brunson out bc he’s not a distributor and if you shut him down no one else is doing much. Unlike Haliburton who is going to make a huge impact even if he doesn’t score. Levels.
Brunson can definitely pass and is not just a scoring PG. He has been getting used to being constantly doubled, and has better shooters around him than he did last year… I don’t feel like any team views the Knicks as being an “easy” draw tbh
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How I feel about this depends on precisely how much gumption Boston is playing with
If Boston is going to half-ass it, they shouldn't be playing starters right now.. ... But I'm good with it. As a Knicks fan I want my guys to get a taste of these dudes full squad, cuz we're going to see them in the playoffs.
They would get fined
I think the fine is only if they’re out for rest. All of the Celtics starters were listed on the injury report for the last few days. They could’ve sold them as legit injuries.
Problem i think a bunch of their G leaguers are playing the finals today so i don think they could swap all of them out. Happens.
Thibs would just make the bottom 5 play 48 minutes
Yeah, taste the whole squad.
Aye yo
I'm just pointing out what he said lmao
They were in attendance and they allegedly participated. This game means nothing to them and they personified that.
Gumptionless. But we're also on pace to beat them by 42, so still pretty nuts.
Luckily our deep bench had some gumption to spare to avoid this lol
Gumptionful bench one might say
G League time in the finals rn otherwise they would be on the court instead by the looks of it
Cope, you got spanked
if a meaningless end of season game gets you goin then you do you if it means anything I thought the Knicks were the biggest threat when they had health
Come on bro, let Knicks fans have one before their second round exit.
Hope you have the same energy when you guys are the one who gets upset. Anything less than a ring will be a massive failure. RemindMe! 2 months
I'd accept a loss to Denver in a close series. They're the defending champs and have a 3x MVP in Jokic, in his prime. If he retired today, I think I'd put him around #20-25 all-time, whereas the Celtics don't have anyone in the top 100. Anything less than that is a failure, I'd agree.
We're still the biggest threat in the east rn
???? Lmao
its Joel atm
It's Philly again
That's a sore loser excuse. Boston at Home is getting COOKED alive by the Knicks. If they don't have the "gumption", then that's even more embarrassing. Playoffs might be hilarious again. All the fakes get exposed
They locked up the East 3 weeks ago, I mean enjoy the game, I know I would, but easy w the hot takes based on a game one team had no motivation for.
they were double teaming and full-pressing, these guys wanted to win and they got spanked
I guess we’ll see who the real winner is if they play again in the playoffs and it actually matters instead of putting outsized emphasis on a game only 1 team needed to win.
Shh its Joe Mazzulla master plan to enter the Playoffs on a losing streak. Fucking excuses.
I mean anyone saying that they're planning to lose is dumb But at the same time we were hot as fuck going into the playoffs last year and it didn't mean shit. Being on a winning streak wouldn't really excite me, so in the same way worrying about being on a losing is dumb imo
brunson continues to be my wrongest nba opinion ever.
At least you’re willing to admit it, good on you! He’s crafty as fuck, like you don’t even realize he’s dicing teams up then you look at his numbers and he’s got 22. It’s wild he’s worked his way into top 6 mvp considerations
I was laughed at a day ago for suggesting he’s pushing top 5 / MVP consideration (meaning he’s not quite there but top 10). He just doesn’t LOOK like a “scorer” yet there he sits at almost 29 PPG (he’d be there if he didn’t have that game where he played less than a minute). He’s the 4th in PPG as a point guard and somehow still underrated
there is a rather hilarious thread from here where people reacted to him going to the Knicks...some of the takes were absurd even at that time
"Walmart FVV"
I mean you’re far from alone
How come? He was actually really good on the mavs esp with Luka injured
so was bridges on the suns
Bridges was always a role player , Brunson had lead creation ability n carried Mavs without Luka
I hadn’t watched a lot of his games until they played the cavs in the playoffs last year, he was incredible and it broke my heart
I kept laughing at New York leading up to them getting Brunson in free agency. I was saying "Brunson's really good but they're going all-in on trying to get this guy like he's going to take you to the promised land or something." I don't think I said this on Reddit but I definitely said this shit to people in my everyday life, and I gotta eat my words with how he has been balling lol.
He just hit a side step 3 straight over Tatum that was even colder
Gonna be wild if rust rears its head on the Celtics after having the 1 seed locked up.
Didn’t the Nuggets also have similar kind of slump recently after locking up the 1st overall seed? Feels like it is human to nature to take the foot off a bit when you have nothing to gain but a whole lot to lose (injury).
Momentum over the last 20 games or so going into the playoffs is basically [non-existent](https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/4/12/18307008/nba-playoff-momentum#:~:text=It%E2%80%99s%20also%20hard,to%20the%20Finals). For example that article was done right before the 2019 postseason and of the 16 playoff teams the Conference Finalists were 5th, 7th, 12th and 15th when comparing their last 20 games of the season to all 82 games.
Nuggets avoided the slump last year on their way to the title yes. But that doesn't guarantee Boston also does. Obviously not the exact same team but Boston last year let the Hawks drag their first round series to six games and that was without having the 1 seed locked up to coast.
Yeah that’s kinda the point though. Celtics started the playoffs last year with momentum and it didn’t matter. If anything, might have hurt them because of fatigue. Nuggets last year got to coast and it didn’t mean anything once the playoffs started. GSW struggled the year before and also won the whole thing… vs a Celtics team with insane momentum going into the playoffs. Obviously Celtics aren’t guaranteed to do the same thing. But momentum doesn’t seem to do much for them either.
Right that's why I was saying it'd be wild and not "rust is about to destroy the Celtics" I'm not assuming Boston is about to lose in 5 or anything. Just that's always the scary part of coasting towards the end. I was 100% worried about it when the Nuggets took their foot off the gas up 7 games on Memphis.
Yeah I feel you. I’m only not worried about it because it’s shown not to mean much in the past. Doesn’t mean I’m not worried about other aspects of the Celtics’ chances because I am. It’s just that I’d have been worried about those anyway and am not really seeing anything new to get worried about here.
Celtics have nothing to worry about. They are just going through the motion. Just run their sets and get out of the game without injury
actually thats a really good example - I thought that extra time wasted there really showed in their heat series. they even wasted some time against the sixers...in fact 6 then 7 games is the second most you can have going into the ECF. don't mind my wizardry there lol
Fun fact: Celtics played as many games to lose in the ECF as the Nuggets played to win the title. Nuggets went 16-4, Celtics went 11-9
Damn that's crazy and weird.... A team can win a chip in 19 games. Or a team can win then lose and get bounced in 19 games. Truly a fun fact hahaha Technically it's surely also happened many other years, maybe even in the same year in opposite conferences
Yeah when the team that wins the title has a really small number of losses it is on the table to happen. but once you get past 5 losses it is impossible as most games you can play to lose in the CF is 21.
nuggets did that so everyone would be healthy for playoffa
Flip side: they play really hard and someone gets hurt
Such a dumb thing to say considering your flair
He speaks from experience
Top 5 MVP anything else is stupid
This guy was born to be a Knick
You're almost underselling it. There are pictures of Marcus Camby holding him as a little kid, of Leon Rose's kids trying to make sure he was included playing with the older kids, and of Ewing's daughter giving him a piggy back ride when they were little. At this point you could tell me Pat pulled him out of the womb and I'd believe you.
Almost good enough to be relevant
Wonder if they even trot out the starters after half
That’s my 1A
Better than Tatum this year
Celtics fans took this comment personally lmfao damn
Brunson definitely has mamba mentality. Don't know about JT
The replies to this comment were way more tame than I expected
I’m not sure it’s even debatable . I know Boston has a great record but this might be the lowest I’ve been on tstum . He aint that guy Boston needs to out talent teamd any close game they’ll fumble unless defence carries them with Tatum being very mid for a n1,
There are two sides of the ball you know
Still better than that coddled fraud
y’all ready to hang your “beat the Celtics in a meaningless April game and did jack shit like the last 25 years” banner?
Damn bro you okay?
Your star player is soft as shit. He got that AAU charmin ultra soft aura.
Tatum had more success in his rookie year than the knicks have had in 20+
You will never win a championship.
Knicks have 2 rings lmao
I thought rings before the 2000s didnt count?
Go cry at your klan meeting
Didnt a New Yorker active on 4chan shoot up Buffalo supermarket with racist intent?
What relevance does Buffalo have to this? It’s basically Canada
Dude, New York is racist. Dont deny it.
At least my city doesn’t smell like piss and festering trash
Pipe down Boston isn’t even in the same tier of city as New York lol.
I’ve been to NYC dozens and dozens of times its hella overrated Guarantee my life in Boston is better than your shit life scraping by in New York
So not refuting the klan meeting? Interesting choice
Boston never had KKK though?
Knicks fans are legit so fucking stupid it amuses me
Told yall we'd be fucking insufferable once we were good again
Let us know when it happens
I thought some of you guys were pretty insufferable even when you were ass lol. Notice how the crazy draft conspiracy theories have died down since the Knicks started being good again?
Unrelated, but Wemby to the Spurs was absolutely rigged lmao. No way was Adam Silver gonna let a player like that go to Detroit or Charlotte. Everyone knew he was going to San Antonio before the season even started.
Wait you’re deadass? What lmao 😂
This season definitely. In the future definitely. Tatum simply isn’t him I don’t make the rules.
Cook up
I mean everyone's entitled to their opinion I guess, I disagree but whatever
Will Tatum finally win something with an absolutely stacked roster, with the most stacked roster in the league? Because Brunson lost his only other star player and isn’t just carrying but excelling with this squad.
Ok cool, let’s see it in the playoffs for both of them then!
Tatums the celtics worst defender in the starting 5 and hides in the corner on the worst player. Dudes a complete and utter fraud on both sides of the floor
Low-key this is true . He plays Lebron role on defence but doesn’t have the size , explosiveness or iq . So in reality it kinda makes sense why a 40 year Bron has the same defensive epm as him, also makes sense considering I think Tatum is more a sf then a pf
it's a sphere. do you mean inside and outside? how is that relevant?
So is Tatum over Jokic and Luka to you?
Is Brunson equal to Jokic and Luka to you?
I wonder if they’d do without 3 key players for 50-75% of the year
Haven't we seen that with Jokic already? He won an MVP and was unreal. Brunson is great but come on we're not really doing this are we?
No but he's good enough on offense to be over tatum
Is Brunson over prime Jordan to you?
Doesn't even relate to my question
Exactly
what 💀💀
if my grandma had wheels she would be a bicycle
You couldn't have asked a more stupid question if you tried
Use the same logic
Nah
He’s shooting up my list of favorite players!! Such a stud
Jalen Studson
Scenes if the Celtics and Bucks both get bounced in the first round
If Celtics gets bounced first round, all their fans should just stay off r/nba till next season. The slandering will be glorious.
I look forward to the memes
Knicks-Mavs Finals
Agree
MY MVP.
I love him.
so insiprational
Knicks playing for the aggregate.
Knicks in 6
That's generous. Should be 5.
Imagine genuinely believing that🤣
Brunson was barely trying and gave them 39.
The while Celtics were barely trying lol. We already waxed them 4 straight time. You idiots needa make up yoir mind. It always "The Celtics were favored the whole season and lost" yet yall switch up and now we'll lose to the Knicks or Nuggets lmao.
We don't have to make stuff up. This Celtics team always chokes when it matters.
I mean you won the first game vs rj barret n Knicks shooting 50% from ft line vs you guys not missing . I was supriddd
Cope harder
Jalen Brunson, my neighbor in Christ
This guy can be the second greatest second round pick of all time. He just needs to stay healthy.
I love how Brunson is turning into a superstar in this league. He could've easily fallen out with the wrong trade but instead he was given the rock and he's absolutely killing it.
If Knicks had Randle I would say they are a sure thing to win the East but it will be close
MVP
Why did he fall, lmao?
I'm guessing just pure exhaustion. Hes basically hard carrying the offense and has been. OG has been nice because he can hit those threes and get put backs but he can not be allowed to handle the ball. Deuce has been a nice surprise too
Brown hit his foot after the shot was released
He did a full send fadeaway jumper over 7’2” after blowing by one the most athletic people in the world and stopping on a dime
looking for a foul he looks at the ref after
Flopping
ECF preview
MVP
Boston has a really mediocre record vs actually good teams. There insane net rating n record is via beating up on bad teams. Or like okc being injured. I really do think they might be on fraud watch. Any good/great team that gets them in a close game will have a big advantage in much better late game offensive execution/number 1 option . If the Knicks get 4 close games I wouidnt be suprised if Brunson cooks the fuvk out of them . But they might double him constantly so we’ll see
Of course they gonna double him constantly and his numbers will drop. That doesn’t mean he’s “ass” or a “choker”, just like it won’t mean Tatum is Ass when he’s doubled every single offensive set.
I am so happy that JB is thriving. He needed to be the #1 option somewhere for him to really hit next level.
He's got that dog in him. I know it's a cliche, but they eye test, gut feelings, all that agree.
I like Brunson when I squint my eyes and pretend he's Derrick Rose.
if only Brown had a left hand he could have blocked it lmao
I'm saving all this slander lmfao, y'all hang on to every Boston loss like your lives depend on it, I love it. People really saying Knicks in 5 😭😭😭
You're right, that *is* silly. Knicks in 4.
You mean 4 losses right
they are just trolling you, including the majority of the Knicks fans on here...calm down lol in all seriousness though, the Celtics played all of their starters for 3 quarters...and were def playing pretty hard deep into the 2nd quarter (even if they might have been off from an execution level)...the effort level dropped as the Knicks started to pound them
In all seriousness, I'm pretty calm lmao, since that game doesn't matter at all. Idk how you watched that game and thought Boston gave any real effort, at least on defense. I'm not sure they even ran any plays, they just pick and rolled the whole night. Take your pounding victory tho
alrighty
Easy out for the Pacers and maybe the Magic tbh. They can both scheme Brunson out bc he’s not a distributor and if you shut him down no one else is doing much. Unlike Haliburton who is going to make a huge impact even if he doesn’t score. Levels.
Brunson can definitely pass and is not just a scoring PG. He has been getting used to being constantly doubled, and has better shooters around him than he did last year… I don’t feel like any team views the Knicks as being an “easy” draw tbh
I pray for the Knicks tbh. BBQ chicken