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Post by Admin on Apr 4, 2024 23:33:45 GMT -5
What better way to open a discussion on the 24' NBA Playoffs than with Doc Rivers as HC/Leader of the fading Milwaukee Bucks calling out everyone in the organization except himself for their shortcomings and intimating that Giannis is playing injured as he tries to finish the season on an up note with some momentum yet is failing once again ...
Former Boston Celtics' championship head coach throws new organization under the busBy Xaiver Aguiar |
Philadelphia 76ers v Boston Celtics - Game One / Maddie Meyer/GettyImages
No one has benefited from the 2008 Boston Celtics championship quite like Doc Rivers.
After a tumultuous run the last few years with the Philadelphia 76ers that saw multiple playoff collapses and public rifts with some players, Rivers was fired and sent into exile, calling games for ESPN. When the Milwaukee Bucks hired him to lead the then-30-13 club, it seemed like the perfect fit for a coach trying to revitalize his legacy.
It's somehow been worse than even the biggest Rivers detractors could have imagined, and he's slinging blame at everyone but himself. When discussing his team's struggles on the road, he found blame with literally everyone except himself.
"I’ve actually been sitting back and watching everything," Rivers said (h/t Sports Illustrated). Not just our players but our travel crew, everything—I made a lot of notes. We don’t bring the necessary professionalism, seriousness on the road. That's something we're going to have to fix."
The Boston Celtics can't fully underestimate anyone -- especially the Milwaukee Bucks
I subscribe to the notion that the Celtics' biggest adversary in pursuit of Banner 18 is themselves. No matter who is across from them, they will always have a significant talent advantage due to the immense depth of this team. They have been historically excellent at protecting the parquet this season and will have a homecourt advantage throughout the season. The path might figuratively run through Denver, but it's Boston's title to lose.
Regardless of their record, the Miami Heat still pose the most significant threat to the Cs due to their psychological edge. No matter how cliche the phrase has become, "Heat culture" is a real thing. During their recent playoff meeting, Eric Spoelstra coached circles around Joe Mazzulla. Jimmy Butler alone has caused multiple promising Celtic postseason performances to unravel at the seams, changing the course of a series. Regardless of their record or the cast of characters, they will be a concern until it's rectified.
Due to the Heat's plethora of injuries and streaky supporting cast, they've become an afterthought, and the Bucks have slotted in their place as the mainstream media's choice for the unit with the second-best chance to win the Eastern Conference. The presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard instantly elevates them as viable challengers. Even with the two superstars, the Bucks haven't been very good.
Looking beyond the star power, they're just a sloppy team with a train wreck of a coach, which is precisely why the Celtics need to take them seriously. Giannis has already brought the Larry O'Brien trophy back to Milwaukee and is still widely heralded as one of the top three players in the sport. Giannis' brute force and physicality become much more impactful in the playoffs when the game slows down considerably.
Lillard doesn't have the same postseason resume as his teammate, but he is one of the greatest volume scorers the games have ever seen. He's had a subpar year for his standards, but he's the kind of player who can quickly turn that narrative around. If Caleb Martin can suddenly catch fire when the lights are brightest, imagine what Damian Lillard is capable of.
The Bucks could not be colder heading into the playoffs, and their coach is actively throwing everyone in the organization under the bus. They are at their most vulnerable, and the path to the Finals has undoubtedly widened. Yet Boston tends to overlook its opponents, which plays into its glaring weakness. Milwaukee is still a threat because of their two future first-ballot Hall of Famers. They will always have a chance, no matter how incompetent the person on the sidelines leading them seems to be.
hardwoodhoudini.com/posts/former-boston-celtics-championship-head-coach-throws-new-organization-under-bus
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Post by hedleylamarr on Apr 18, 2024 9:09:01 GMT -5
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Post by hedleylamarr on Apr 18, 2024 14:13:41 GMT -5
Then Glushon called back. The Celtics and Timberwolves were offering contracts, and the Heat wanted Sam Hauser to join their summer league team, where he could compete for a deal. Hauser said he would talk with his parents and his girlfriend Mary (who is now his wife) and decide in the morning. But the situation was more urgent. These teams needed to pivot quickly if they were rebuffed by Hauser. “When I got off the phone, my dad was like, ‘Well, why don’t you just sleep on it?’ ” Hauser said. “And I told him, ‘We’ve got 10 minutes.’ So we all just kind of sat down and talked about the options and came to the conclusion that Boston was probably the best spot for me.” – via Boston Globe
Jason Glushon, Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves
The pursuit of Hauser was less traditional, and it has made his emergence more gratifying. Only five Celtics have ever made more 3-pointers in a season than his 197 this year, and he shot 42.5 percent from beyond the arc, ranking 11th in the NBA. But his arrival as an undrafted free agent required more than that rushed courtship after the 2021 draft. For the Celtics, that night was the culmination of years of scouting, interviews, film study, and intense debate. Most often, the return on such an investment of time and resources to evaluate lower-end prospects is paltry. But every now and then there is a hit that just might tip the scales for a team pushing toward the top. “These are always a big win for the whole organization,” Celtics assistant general manager Mike Zarren said. “And the whole organization has to be aligned for them to work.” – via Boston Globe
Mike Zarren, Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics
The Celtics were thrilled to acquire their top two-way target [Sam Hauser], but they acknowledge there was good fortune involved. Austin Ainge said it’s clear the team erred in not drafting Hauser in the second round. It just helped that other teams made the same mistake. “I think all of us as a league undervalued him,” Ainge said. “We’re very lucky we believed in him enough.” – via Boston Globe
Austin Ainge, Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics
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Post by hedleylamarr on Apr 18, 2024 14:41:47 GMT -5
What’s your perspective on all the criticism about Jayson Tatum’s clutch play? Drew Hanlen: “There’s obviously always going to be things that people can improve and stuff like that. But if you look at Jayson over the last five years, I think he has one of the best clutch numbers in the NBA. If you look back at some of the big moments in his career, you think of Game 6 [of 2022 Eastern Conference Finals against Milwaukee when they’re down 3-2 and he scores 46[points] against Giannis [Antetokounmpo].” “He ends up having a great Game 7, and the Celtics end up winning that. In Game 6 (last year vs Sixers), he scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to come back and then scores 51 [points] in Game 7 to send the Celtics to the next series. There are not many players in the world, if any, that I would want the ball in their hands at the end of the game more than Jayson.” – via SportsKeeda
Drew Hanlen, Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
What does the room for improvement, though, look like for Jayson Tatum? Drew Hanlen: “At around Christmas time, we made an adjustment in his shot off the dribble. That yielded really good results. He’s continuing to make sure that his shot is exactly where he wants it. He’s continuing to grow as a playmaker. We know in the playoffs that teams are going to try to squeeze the ball out of his hands and make others beat them. So it’s about being able to find the right guy and make the right plays. That’s going to be important.” “It’s about continuing to impact the game on the defensive end. His finishing rate was something in the Finals that he struggled with, but he has since worked really hard on that. He’s got great results. His finishing has improved a ton in the last few years that he’s now one of the best finishers in the game. He’s continuing to make sure that holds up. I always say the best shooter ever is Stephen Curry. But he still misses 55% of his threes. So there’s always room for improvement.” – via SportsKeeda
Drew Hanlen, Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors
What window did you have into how Kobe Bryant mentored Jayson Tatum? Drew Hanlen “Jayson only got to spend two days really with Kobe. There was an article that came out a while back that when we had to turn Jayson into shooting more at the 3 and at the rim to become more of an efficient player. ESPN wrote an article about ‘de-Kobe-ing Jayson’s game’ They tried to spin it in a negative way toward Kobe.” “That’s something that Jayson really didn’t appreciate because that was just Jayson’s game. He really idolized Kobe. He had won five championships and was one of the most skilled players of all time. He had one of the most killer work ethics and mentalities. Those are the things that Jayson has always wanted to embody – the winning, the way he went about his work and the way he inspired people. But he didn’t have much interaction together in person unfortunately.” Drew Hanlen: “We got one time in the gym with him, and there was another time that he met with him. But unfortunately he then passed away that winter [in January 2020]. When Jayson was inspired by Kobe, it was when he was winning championships and obviously doing it in a dominating fashion. That’s something that Jayson has wanted to do as well. There are so many iconic moments. When you think about those iconic moments that stick out, they involve winning. That’s what Jayson is after.” – via SportsKeeda
Drew Hanlen, Jayson Tatum, Kobe Bryant, Boston Celtics
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Post by hedleylamarr on Apr 18, 2024 14:45:05 GMT -5
Kristaps Porzingis spoke to Celtics Wire about his Mercedes collection, showing off his cars with pride at his Boston home. He explained the deep connection he feels to each vehicle and why the Mercedes badge specifically means so much to him. – via Celtics Wire
Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics
“Once I got a little bit older, like when I was 12 or 13,” Porzingis said. “I started to fall in love with Mercedes.” “It was my dad’s passion, and so the love for Mercedes just took over. There are other cars I like as well, but Mercedes has my heart.” – via Celtics Wire
Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics
For auto aficionados, however, the Mercedes badge ultimately denotes a specific grandeur beyond that power. As Porzingis explained, there is always an undeniable grace when it comes to Mercedes, no matter the model. That elegance usually doesn’t come cheap, though. When Porzingis was a young man, his dream of owning a garage full of luxury cars was a bit out of reach. When he first moved to Spain as a teenager to play professional basketball, he settled for a more practical set of wheels, even if it proved to be the wrong fit. “My first car was a Ford Focus,” Porzingis laughed. “It was my first car in Spain right after I got my driver’s license, around 18-years old. And it was tough to get in, I’m not going to lie.” – via Celtics Wire
Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics
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Post by puddin on Apr 19, 2024 15:11:59 GMT -5
What’s your perspective on all the criticism about Jayson Tatum’s clutch play? Drew Hanlen: “There’s obviously always going to be things that people can improve and stuff like that. But if you look at Jayson over the last five years, I think he has one of the best clutch numbers in the NBA. If you look back at some of the big moments in his career, you think of Game 6 [of 2022 Eastern Conference Finals against Milwaukee when they’re down 3-2 and he scores 46[points] against Giannis [Antetokounmpo].” “He ends up having a great Game 7, and the Celtics end up winning that. In Game 6 (last year vs Sixers), he scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to come back and then scores 51 [points] in Game 7 to send the Celtics to the next series. There are not many players in the world, if any, that I would want the ball in their hands at the end of the game more than Jayson.” – via SportsKeeda Drew Hanlen, Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics What does the room for improvement, though, look like for Jayson Tatum? Drew Hanlen: “At around Christmas time, we made an adjustment in his shot off the dribble. That yielded really good results. He’s continuing to make sure that his shot is exactly where he wants it. He’s continuing to grow as a playmaker. We know in the playoffs that teams are going to try to squeeze the ball out of his hands and make others beat them. So it’s about being able to find the right guy and make the right plays. That’s going to be important.” “It’s about continuing to impact the game on the defensive end. His finishing rate was something in the Finals that he struggled with, but he has since worked really hard on that. He’s got great results. His finishing has improved a ton in the last few years that he’s now one of the best finishers in the game. He’s continuing to make sure that holds up. I always say the best shooter ever is Stephen Curry. But he still misses 55% of his threes. So there’s always room for improvement.” – via SportsKeeda Drew Hanlen, Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors What window did you have into how Kobe Bryant mentored Jayson Tatum? Drew Hanlen “Jayson only got to spend two days really with Kobe. There was an article that came out a while back that when we had to turn Jayson into shooting more at the 3 and at the rim to become more of an efficient player. ESPN wrote an article about ‘de-Kobe-ing Jayson’s game’ They tried to spin it in a negative way toward Kobe.” “That’s something that Jayson really didn’t appreciate because that was just Jayson’s game. He really idolized Kobe. He had won five championships and was one of the most skilled players of all time. He had one of the most killer work ethics and mentalities. Those are the things that Jayson has always wanted to embody – the winning, the way he went about his work and the way he inspired people. But he didn’t have much interaction together in person unfortunately.” Drew Hanlen: “We got one time in the gym with him, and there was another time that he met with him. But unfortunately he then passed away that winter [in January 2020]. When Jayson was inspired by Kobe, it was when he was winning championships and obviously doing it in a dominating fashion. That’s something that Jayson has wanted to do as well. There are so many iconic moments. When you think about those iconic moments that stick out, they involve winning. That’s what Jayson is after.” – via SportsKeeda Drew Hanlen, Jayson Tatum, Kobe Bryant, Boston Celtics If you cherry pick JT in clutch situations, he can look about as awesome as the Pudster looks as a spot on NBA prognosticator.
Toss aside his many middling PO games.... while remembering his 46 points against Gianis in 2022 or the 51 points last season in a game 7... and he looks pretty darn good.
Toss aside my middling predictions, like the 70 W's (Oooops!) the season KI first joined the Cs.... while remembering the time I cranked up the Fitty Train...
... when the Cs were going nowhere fast in 2021-22 at the 1/3rd mark... and they finished 51-31 like a house a fire!!!....
Maybe, just maybe if you would also overlook a recent unfortunate (taken out of context) 41-41 season prediction, at that point, Mr. Ruffles and I will both look pretty darn good....
... like two peas!
Pud
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Post by Admin on Apr 22, 2024 11:29:04 GMT -5
Round I - Gm I
Saturday 4/20/24'
Sunday 4/21/24'
Looks like all the home court teams won their 1st game in Round I ...
Attachments:
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Post by Admin on Apr 23, 2024 0:10:36 GMT -5
Round I - Gm II
Monday 4/22/24'
Tuesday 4/23/24'
Wednesday 4/24/24'
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Post by Admin on Apr 23, 2024 20:39:58 GMT -5
Sixers To File Grievance Over Officatingby Luke Adams
4:26pm: The league acknowledged in its Two Minute Report that Brunson and Josh Hart both fouled Maxey during the last-minute scramble. It also indicated Nurse should have been granted a timeout on the inbounds play, Bontemps tweets. 7:26am: Following their Game 2 loss to the Knicks in New York on Monday, the Sixers intend to file a grievance with the NBA over the officiating, a team spokesperson told Tim Bontemps of ESPN and Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. According to Neubeck, the 76ers’ list of concerns will include (but won’t necessarily be limited to) the following: * Two calls in the last two-minute report from Game 1 went against the Sixers.
* The Sixers have been the most disadvantaged team in the NBA this season based on last two-minute reports, with a report compiled in early April indicating that 22 missed calls benefited their opponents and 11 benefited them, the worst such ratio in the league.
*The Knicks included detailed referee information in their game notes for the first two games of the series (Twitter link), which Bontemps describes as “unusual.”
*The Sixers believe they should have been awarded a timeout at multiple points during a key inbounds play and possession late in Monday’s loss (Twitter video link). They also believe Tyrese Maxey was fouled during the play, with Jalen Brunson grabbing his jersey. That inbounds play occurred with 27 seconds left in the game and the Sixers holding a two-point lead. Head coach Nick Nurse appeared to briefly signal for a timeout just before Kyle Lowry inbounded the ball to Maxey, who was held by Brunson. Maxey fell to the floor with the ball as Nurse attempted to call timeout again, but the Sixers lost possession before a timeout could be granted, leading to a Donte DiVincenzo go-ahead three-pointer. “Well, the first thing is obviously they score,” Nurse said in describing the sequence after the game. “We take a look at getting it in quick. We don’t get it in quick. I call timeout. Referee looked right at me. Ignored me. Went into Tyrese, I called timeout again. Then the melee started. “I guess I got to run out onto the floor or do something to make sure and get his attention, but I needed a timeout there to advance it. Would’ve been good. But, couldn’t get it.” Joel Embiid was even more blunt in expressing his displeasure with the officiating. “Everybody was trying to call a timeout on the floor,” Embiid said, per Bontemps. “Me included. Coach on the sideline. But they didn’t give it to us. But, forget about the timeout. There’s a bunch of fouls. That’s f—ing unacceptable. …That’s on the frigging referees. I hate to put the game on them. But I am sure the two-minute report is going to come out and we are going to see what happened. … We fought for 47 minutes and whatever 20 seconds. For that to happen … that’s not OK.” The Sixers weren’t the only team with complaints about the officiating after a tough Monday loss. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes, the Lakers also had gripes to share after losing to Denver 101-99 on a Jamal Murray buzzer beater. Los Angeles was upset that a Michael Porter Jr. foul on D’Angelo Russell in the third quarter, which would have led to a pair of free throws, was overturned because the contact was deemed “marginal” (Twitter video link). Russell later tweeted, “That’s a foul we all saw it on national television.” “D-Lo clearly gets hit in the face on a drive,” LeBron James said. “What the f–k do we have a replay center for if it’s going to go [like that]? It doesn’t make sense to me. … It bothers me. … And then I just saw what happened with the Sixers-Knicks game too. Like, what are we doing?” As Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets, the Sixers’ grievance isn’t a formal protest of Game 2, so it won’t affect the outcome of Monday’s contest. It’s presumably just an attempt at gamesmanship on behalf of the 76ers, who will be looking to regain an edge in the series as the teams head to Philadelphia for Game 3. For what it’s worth, Embiid remains very confident in his team’s ability to pull out the series despite facing a 2-0 deficit. “We’re good,” Embiid told reporters on Monday, according to Bontemps. “We’re going to win this series. “We are going to win this. We know what we got to fix. We did a better job today, so we are going to fix it. We are the better team. We are going to keep fighting.”
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Post by Admin on Apr 27, 2024 21:28:40 GMT -5
Round I - Gm III
Thursday 4/25/24'
Friday 4/26/24'
Saturday 4/27/24'
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Post by Admin on Apr 28, 2024 11:47:36 GMT -5
Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo Out For Game 4
by Rory Maher
As expected, Bucks stars Damian Lillard (right Achilles) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (left calf) have been ruled out Sunday’s Game 4 in Indiana, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Both players had previously been listed as doubtful.
Lillard has been dealing with pain in his Achilles tendon for a few weeks. While he said he was feeling much better entering the playoffs, he aggravated the injury in Friday’s Game 3, which Milwaukee lost in overtime.
Mitchell Robinson Exits Game 3 With Ankle Sprain
by Tristan Tucker
10:25pm: Robinson was seen exiting Wells Fargo Center wearing a walking boot, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer (Twitter link).
10:02pm: Knicks center Mitchell Robinson exited Game 3 against the Sixers with a sprained left ankle, according to the team (Twitter link). Robinson had been listed as questionable to play in the game due to an ankle issue.
According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, Robinson looked hobbled throughout the game (Twitter link). Even though he was playing through an injury, losing Robinson is a huge deal for the Knicks with Joel Embiid on the other side of the court.
Knicks’ Bogdanovic Has Wrist Injury, May Need Offseason Surgery
by Rory Maher
Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic recently underwent an MRI on his sore left wrist, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that the 35-year-old has ligament damage and may need surgery in the offseason.
Bogdanovic plans to play through the injury for the remainder of the playoffs, Scotto adds.
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Post by cole on Apr 28, 2024 18:09:24 GMT -5
No giannis, no Dame, but also no Halliburton
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Post by cole on Apr 28, 2024 18:19:39 GMT -5
Ok, yes Halliburton
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Post by cole on Apr 28, 2024 18:25:44 GMT -5
Crazy uncle Bobby gets in a fight.
Ah just shoving
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Post by cole on Apr 28, 2024 18:26:56 GMT -5
Mhiddleton looks pretty good now, but needs the other two back.
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Post by cole on Apr 28, 2024 18:28:18 GMT -5
Wait they called it a slap! Google eyes to the locker room
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Post by Admin on Apr 29, 2024 14:57:14 GMT -5
Looks like both the Sixers & Bucks will bow out in Round I. While both were looked at as the C's major competition in the East, few here should be surprised at the results given Rivers at HC in MIL and "the Process" in PHI unproven for half a decade now despite coaching changes and having an MVP winner/multi-year candidate at center in J-O-E-L.
So could it get any easier for BOS? Once they eliminate the Heat (5 games or failure) the 2nd round will bring who - Cavs or Magic while NYK takes on the Pacers?
The Magic are virgins to the POs and the Cavs really only have Mitchell as a superstar threat. This s/b another gentleman's sweep in preparation for the Knicks in the ECF.
Sure the Knicks won't break but they will bend given their injuries (Randle, Robinson, Bogdanovic) and from being so dependent on Brunson for their offense. Can Jrue and/or White slow him down w/ help from Pritchard while containing OG & Dante? Hart hasn't given them much offense despite a great stat line. Can the C's eliminate NY in 5 games? Maybe not but certainly within 6 games and onto to FINALS!
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Post by Admin on Apr 29, 2024 23:35:03 GMT -5
Round I - Gm IV
Sunday 4/28/24'
Monday 4/29/24'
Tuesday 4/30/2024'
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Post by cole on May 3, 2024 19:40:14 GMT -5
Cavs are winning but Mitchel is favoring his knee
Magic can't buy a bucket
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Post by cole on May 4, 2024 18:24:36 GMT -5
Wolves rock the Nuggets to start 18-4
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Post by cole on May 4, 2024 19:01:28 GMT -5
That didn't last long
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Post by kyceltic on May 4, 2024 20:13:58 GMT -5
The Nuggets went from seeing no defense from the Lakers, to seeing great defense from the Twolves!
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Post by cole on May 4, 2024 20:27:10 GMT -5
The Nuggets went from seeing no defense from the Lakers, to seeing great defense from the Twolves! The Nuggets will probably wear out sooner too, going forward. I've been saying minnesota has looked like the best team to me. Hopefully they knock each other around 7 games. |
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Post by kyceltic on May 4, 2024 20:54:18 GMT -5
The Nuggets went from seeing no defense from the Lakers, to seeing great defense from the Twolves! The Nuggets will probably! wear out sooner too, going forward. I've been saying minnesota has looked like the best team to me. Hopefully they knock each other around 7 games. If the Nuggets don't find an answer for Edwards it may not go 7! |
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Post by DaCeltics on May 4, 2024 21:06:51 GMT -5
Nuggets, Heat, and Warriors out of the way.
Let's go Celtics!!!
(My hope)
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