Skip to main content

Ainge focus - load management and not dropping below 6th spot in East

Image
By

  Get into the playoffs and anything can happen.


In a nutshell, Danny Ainge's mindset is the old NBA axiom - Get into the playoffs and anything can happen.

Two former-Celtics refugees are thriving with their newly-chosen teams in the Eastern Conference. Coach Doc Rivers has his 76'ers in first place with a 23-12 record, while the dearly-departed Kyrie Irving has partnered well with James Harden to put the Nets in second place at 23-13 - with much of that happening with Kevin Durant out of action.

The Bucks hold down the third spot at 21-13, but the next seven slots are huddled together with records varying from 18-17 (Knicks - 4th spot) to 15-18 (Pacers and Bulls - 9th and 10th spots). The Celtics sit in sixth place with a 17-17 record.

Danny Ainge knows this just may not be the Celtics year. The Nets getting Durant back is simply scary for the rest of the League, and Philly just keeps winning. And it doesn't get any better for Boston out West where four teams (Jazz, Lakers, Clippers, Suns) all have better records than any team in the East.

So Ainge's statement about "no moves at the deadline" may be factual. Marcus Smart's worrisome calf injury is still on the mend, and Rob Williams is having his minutes limited due to a hip issue. Both Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard have experienced knee issues of late, and all four of these players would have significant roles in any post season run.

Playoff seeding has lost a lot of its charm since no one yet knows what the post-season will look like - and what, if any, home court advantage there may be. However, with the playoff structure for 2021, The Celtics really need to avoid dropping below that sixth spot in the East to avoid having to participate in the play-in tournament that involves teams 7-10. 

That seems to be Danny's plan - rest the troops, allow sufficient time for recovery, push to remain in the top-6 in the Eastern Standings, hope the injury bug strikes elsewhere - and go for a trade at the deadline if the right one surfaces. 


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Elm Street Nightmare

By
 A true-and-suspenseful horror tale of haunting, homicides and the hunt for triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante - as told by the cops that were there By Lt. Thomas Lane (Ret.)  Daniel Laplante - cold, calm, clever, calculating- Photo: YouTube   Elm Street  surfaces on six (6) occasions in the Laplante saga: 1.) He  resided on Elm Street  in Townsend, Massachusetts  2.) He  kidnapped a woman  at gunpoint on  Elm Street, Pepperell , Massachusetts 3.) That kidnapped woman fled to the Gillogly residence on Elm Street after escaping from the armed fugitive, Laplante. 4.) He was arrested and transported to Massachusetts State Police Barracks on Elm Street in Concord . 5.) He was  tried, convicted   and sentenced for the murders at  Superior Court , corner of  Elm Stree t and Gorham Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. 6.) The author, Thomas Lane, lived on Elm Steet, Pepperell, Massachusetts while a police Sgt./Lt. for the t...
19 comments
Read more

In defense of Marcus Smart

By
 Let me make it clear first of all that I am totally against making a threat of any kind that even hints at harming, or certainly killing, another human being. Marcus Smart was wrong in doing so in the Celtics loss to the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder , and he deserved the one-game suspension. But to be honest, part of me loved that it occurred. . This type of thing can happen when a player gets to a point "beyond frustration" and is having a bad game. Marcus and his teammates have been under-performing generally - were in the process of losing to a pathetic-and-tanking Thunder team - and Smart was having a bad game . And he let loose verbally at the closest target - an NBA official. Wilt Chamberlain did a similar act versus referee, Earl Strom when Wilt was having his usual tortuous time at the free throw line (per Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith): ''He was in one of those 1-for-13s,'' recalls referee Earl Strom. ''Nothing was getting close. S...
Post a Comment
Read more

Did the Celtics Kevin McHale really have a wingspan of 8-feet?

By
According to many sources, the Celtics Kevin McHale did indeed have an estimated wingspan of 8-feet. One of those sources is Wikipedia, as seen below: Kevin McHale American basketball player DescriptionKevin Edward McHale is an American retired basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Boston Celtics. He is a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and is regarded as one of the best power forwards of all time. He was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Wikipedia Born: December 19, 1957 (age 61 years), Hibbing, MN Wingspan: 8′ 0″ Height: 6′ 10″ Spouse: Lynn McHale (m. 1982) NBA draft: 1980, Boston Celtics (Round: 1 / Pick: 3) Hall of fame induction: 1999 Number: 32 (Boston Celtics / Power forward, Center) Kevin was listed at 6'10" tall when he was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 1980 draft. Red Auerbach, in yet another heist, brought in both McHale and center Robert Parish (via trade) prior to the Celtics' 1980-81 Champion...
Post a Comment
Read more