Mike and Jim celebrate the Celtics securing home court throughout the Finals and scrutinize their end of game execution. We even took a critical eye to their defensive strategies, especially when facing quick-footed guards in games that could have gone either way. We also look ahead to possible first round playoff matchups for the Celtics.
Mike and Jim celebrate the Celtics securing home court throughout the Finals and scrutinize their end of game execution. We even took a critical eye to their defensive strategies, especially when facing quick-footed guards in games that could have gone either way. We also look ahead to possible first round playoff matchups for the Celtics.
All right, here is my pick of the day, and obviously these games, these lines, are subject to change. Injury reports come out, it's late in the year, funky things happen, players don't play and both these teams are on back-to-backs so it's a very real possibility that you might have some missing players. So it's Golden State at Dallas. Both teams are playing really well right now. Dallas has really exceeded my expectations quite a bit and I expect both teams to play really well in this game. I think that's way too heavy of a line, especially with the way Golden State has been playing lately. Really, their worst game was probably against San Antonio, where they let them come back. They had a great road trip. They've been having a great road trip. They were in Houston last night, blew them out, and Houston was kind of a team that's been storming up until recently. Uh, going in the right direction. Um, clay Thompson has seemed to have found his shot and has gotten going. Draymond Green has been a much better player down the stretch than he has been most of the season. Um, and certainly you got to contend with Luca, who's MVP worthy? He's my number two behind Jokic right now. I think he's passed SGA at this point. Luka who's MVP worthy? He's my number two behind Jokic right now. I think he's past SGA at this point.
Jim Quigley:But I just I think Golden State, they got a lot to play for here. They want to get out of that 10-9 matchup. It's a long shot but I know they want to get out of that if they can and just have that play-in scenario just be one game. Dallas, I think, is pretty much cemented to be out of the play-in right now. It's just a matter of who they're going to get and a lot of that they don't have any control over because the one through three seeds are so much in flux right now. So I'm taking Golden State If I was making the pick. Obviously. Obviously you do what you have conviction in, but if I'm making the pick today, I think five points is just way too high of a number for two teams that are playing pretty well right now, really well right now. So Golden State getting five at Dallas, both on a back-to-back.
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Mike Quigley:Celtics with your hosts Jim and Mike Quigley.
Jim Quigley:Hey everyone, welcome to Hard Foul, where the Celtics have six games left remaining in the regular season and they just wrapped up, clinching the home seed throughout with a 135-100 anticlimactic victory of Oklahoma City. Disappointing in the fact that the two best players on the Thunder did not play so kind of what's left in the regular season. Highly anticipated game really was just another one of those. Let's just get through the end of the regular season games. And you know, mike, I think we're at a point where we can certainly recap the Celtics road trip where they went four and two, you know, on their longest road trip of the season.
Jim Quigley:And we're now but I think it's really we're at a point in the season where we should be looking ahead, unless you disagree, and we have some interesting races, playoff races, down the last stretch of the season, this last six, seven games, five games, whatever's left for teams, and that will dictate whom the Celtics will meet in the first round, and it could end up being a high-quality opponent. So, as where the season stands right now, as I just said, the Celtics have wrapped up the home court and, mike, the floor is yours. You can take it wherever you want to go. If you want to start with the Celtics' recent performances, or you want to get into what's to come. I'll let you take the lead.
Mike Quigley:Yeah, I want to touch on that Atlanta game the second one we talked about the first one at Lane and in particular I thought Atlanta attacked something that we may see happen versus Celtics in the playoffs against teams with quicker guards, which is something traditionally the Celtics struggle a little bit against in some cases this year quite a bit. I thought that Atlanta did a good job of switching out guards to Porzingis, out on Murray in overtime and really attacking that matchup. I wonder if Joe wasn't adjusting because he wanted to practice. I think that's been kind of a theme here down the stretch is practicing different things, which in the moment can be frustrating, but also it makes sense.
Mike Quigley:It definitely hurt. You know the Celtics weren't able to make any stops. And then I don't think this was a. I'm not making any adjustments for practice. I think this was a mistake by Missoula on that last possession. It was a little worrisome that there was no double team towards Murray. With six seconds left in the game to get the ball out of his hands, the guy had scored already eight points in that overtime he had already put up 44 shots for the game, which is like I can't believe he shot the ball that many times.
Mike Quigley:And then once again the execution or non-execution by the Celtics at the end of that fourth quarter in a one or two point game whatever it was, or a tie game at that point, I don't remember at this point Just not great looks at all Dribbling out the shot clock taking a bad shot, dribbling out the shot clock taking a bad shot. So it's something we're not going to really be able to see again into the playoffs. But I guess those are my only concerns that I have for the Celtics and I thought that Atlanta, those two Atlanta games, kind of showed us some stuff that they have to work on and they definitely adjusted their defense against the Pelicans, which I know you want to touch on, jim, but um, yeah, those are kind of my thoughts just as we move towards the playoffs. So celtics, end of the game, execution on both ends of the floor are going to be something I'll be certainly looking at right off the bat with the first series, with whoever they play yeah.
Jim Quigley:So let's, let's touch on right off that the end of the game executions. I think so when you watch these games right now you're kind of watching. For what can you take away that? You know that A they're either trying and experimenting with that they may use in the playoffs. You know, I know in this last game of the Thunder it certainly seemed like they were playing with the playoff rotation and they threw out what looked like a funky 2-1-2 zone that I hadn't really seen before them operate. So those are interesting things from the Thunder game. But from this game, it's kind of the concerning things.
Jim Quigley:When you go back to the Solana game, you had that situation again down the stretch where Jalen Brown had the ball. You know, I believe the game was tied. I don't remember if it was regulation or not, but he, you know he was just dribbling out the shot clock and it was clear that Atlanta had taken things away from him, options away. Atlanta had taken things away from him, options away, and Missoula just kind of watched and let the play unravel instead of calling continuing to be a theme. You know, you saw it.
Jim Quigley:You know, in another instance I'm getting the games mixed up, the two atlanta games. But you had the atlanta foul and a tie ball game when the celtics had the ball with. You know they looked like they were going to be able to wind the clock down and you know, at best Atlanta would have the ball with two, three seconds left, with the game still tied with the Celtics leading. But Wes Matthews committed a really stupid foul with six seconds left that allowed the Celtics to guarantee the last shot and instead of calling his last time out, um, he just let.
Jim Quigley:They went out there and ran something that was completely broken. You knew it was broken from the moment labelle was inbounded. Taylor ended up taking a tough fade away.
Mike Quigley:Uh, um actually it was a runner. It was like a runner.
Jim Quigley:Okay, well, it was a high yeah, it was a high degree of difficulty shot. And you know it doesn't mean if you call a timeout, you're going to draw something up, you're going to get something better. There's no guarantees, but you know, I just like to see it happen every once in a while. You know, he could have called the timeout right when Wesley Matthews committed the foul. He could have called the timeout when the ball was inbounded and said, oh, this isn't going anywhere, I better draw something up. And that's just the thing you see happen over and over again, where he's ending games, close games, with timeouts still in his pocket. And you can point to situations where he should have used them, you know, and it doesn't mean you always should use them. You go back to that Brooklyn game and I know Lee May was the coach and over, you know, at the end of regulation in game one where a lot of people are screaming for the timeout but the Celtics had the nuts in transition and ended up getting a layup to win the game, you know. So sometimes not calling the timeout is the right play, but there are times and that's my takeaway from those games and the other takeaway, mike, and this has just been a prolonged thing with the Celtics. But there is at least a conversation out there that the Celtics, the style they play, isn't conducive for the playoffs, that three-pointers will come and go and shooting a million threes can actually hurt you in the playoffs, et cetera, et cetera. The game slowed down.
Jim Quigley:My problem with the Celtics isn't as much that I don't even know if we're at liberty to have that argument yet, because they changed the way they play so much in the fourth quarter and at the end of games. It's not the three-point shot, that's the problem. The three point shot becomes a problem is because they run the clock down so much and that three point shot they end up taking is the only one that was available, whereas early in the game, in almost every Celtics game, they are putting the defense in rotation over and over again till they get the absolute shot they want because they move so quick and with such good pace and with such good ball movement, and oftentimes they get the ball to their superstar in a spot where they could just attack the defender without a lot of help. They just weaken the knees of the defense and you know it's almost like they don't trust their system. They don't trust the system that's going to give them a lot of open threes. I'm at a point now where I'd rather just see them. If they're going to lose, I'd rather see them lose with the way they trust in their system and the trust in the style they play in the fourth quarter, even if that's missing a lot of really good looks from three, at least it shows some conviction. It's like a lack of conviction in what they do when they get in these tight moments or they get up a little bit in the fourth. And you did see that in Atlanta, although you could really make an argument and you'd be right that their sets were good for the most part down the stretch in those games and they got good looks, but that was like the last two minutes. The overall play and pace, as you brought up over and over again in the fourth quarter, changed so drastically.
Jim Quigley:So I'm at a point now where when people say the three-point shot's a problem, I'm kind of rolling my eyes because I'm not sure we know if it is or not, because they don't continue to play the same style. If they continue to play that same style and got all those looks that were wide open. What type of pressure does that put on the defense and how does that change the game? And you know, we've seen it. You know they milked down the lead in Game 7 against Miami, where Jimmy Butler had a chance to win it, because they decided to play this way.
Jim Quigley:They did it over and over again in Golden State in that finals and that was with the Doka. And then they did it last year consistently in the playoffs. And we've seen it at times where it's ugly head this season. And I guess, if I'm looking forward now that's my biggest concern for this team is and right now it's tough to have a lot of faith that they're going to change that, that they're going to go, that, that they're going to go into another game and play that right way. So that's, that's my takeaway from the atlanta game. If you want to touch on that, if you want to follow up on what I said, I think those are really good points.
Mike Quigley:Uh, one quick note about the atlanta game, to missoula's credit, in that overtime he did use the timeout and he drew up a nice play. It wasn't just a Tatum, you know, do it all on your own. It was an actual play where Jalen Brown got a jumper to tie the game.
Jim Quigley:Great pass from the Stingers yeah.
Mike Quigley:Yeah, Celtics might have just left too much time on the clock for Murray, and again I was frustrated that they didn't double Murray there. That didn't make sense to me. But also maybe the Celtics were like fuck it, we need to get out of Atlanta. Been here for like 11 days, so who knows right? It is frustrating to me in these fourth quarters the lack of use of Porzingis, and that's something that needs to change. His matchups are typically great, especially when the ball's moving, and the Celtics, if they play with pace, they probably have more matchups for him.
Jim Quigley:Yeah, they don't have to change much, right If they continue the way they do.
Mike Quigley:But something and again, more recently he's been playing much better. But there was a stretch of play where he was allowing people to push him off the block. He was hanging out around the three-point line, kind of hiding in the corners against atlanta, which I felt was strange. I didn't know if he was tired. I couldn't really understand what he was doing over there because he doesn't take corner threes. So he really offered celtics nothing and even shrunk the floor.
Mike Quigley:Um, but that's to me the guy to go to a lot of these times, when they're having funky stretches, whether they're out of rhythm and they're not playing with pace, you get him the ball down on the post. It opens up a lot of possibilities for you. And you brought up that people talk about the Celteltics shooting too many threes. I don't have issues with the celtics taking threes when it's in rhythm. So when the ball's moving and and you're in a, taking a, a three, that's in rhythm. It's much different than what we see in the fourth quarter or even in that first quarter against, uh, the hornets, where they shot 23s in one quarter, which I did think was way too many.
Jim Quigley:Yeah, I just think they didn't really care to be there.
Mike Quigley:They didn't really care. But that's when it's bad. And I also think, depending on your opponent, you have to be smart with the three-point shot Because somebody like the Pelicans in that second half we want to talk about the Pelicans game the Celtics just started to kill them inside and I was texting you back and forth saying you can't launch threes against this team because all they want to do is run. They don't want to play in the half court. The Pelicans don't shoot threes, they don't make a lot of threes, they want to kill you getting up and down the court. And then that first quarter, when the Celtics found themselves in that deficit, I felt like they were settling for a lot of threes long rebounds for the Pelicans. They were getting out and running and what I like my thing with the Celtics is they can play any way they want because of the guys they have. So if they're in a series like a team versus the Pelicans, they can go into that series and say you know what Our priority is going to be? To beat this team up inside, because we have Porzingis, we have Tatum, let's go down to the post. That's how we're going to kill them. They're not going to get out and run. You know you play Milwaukee. We're going to shoot more threes in Milwaukee. That's our philosophy. We're going to make more threes. They don't get out and defend them them. Well, we're going to kill them there.
Mike Quigley:I feel like the Celtics can make those adjustments and other NBA teams can't, and what I'm interested to see is if they're going to allow that to be their philosophy in the playoffs Not to just play one way but to play multiple different ways to kill teams however they want. And if they're focused and they're doing that for four quarters, they're going to be a real hard beat. But to your point point, I have no idea what to expect from this team in the fourth quarter of closed games at all, um, so that I think that's our big concern. I know that you're probably happy with the defense in the second half versus the pelicans. I'll let you talk about that I know that.
Mike Quigley:I thought yeah, I thought that was great, I thought that was a story yeah yeah, I think that probably the best defense they played since the trade that line.
Jim Quigley:I thought it was the best they played all season. I thought it was the best defense they played all season and it started. You know, they had an okay second quarter where they were able to get out of the transition, but it wasn't great. I mean, they all played the power. It wasn't like one of those shows stopping, but you know.
Mike Quigley:Tony, that end of the second quarter when, when white hit that three, it was yeah, yeah, that run was awesome. Yeah, and it started with they were pissed off at Crawford. They were all playing pissed off defensively those last two minutes of the third quarter and that's when, like the intensity changed, you could just tell they were locked in the shot blocking by Porzingis too yeah, tony Brothers, you know, pissed off Jason Tatum and Tatum went on a little run and he was involved in every play.
Jim Quigley:And the next thing, you know the Celtics, who had been trailing all half, you know white hits that buzzer three, they go up two and then you know that was great, but we've seen that kind of happen and then come out in the third flat often. What was was really something to me and you look at it, of course I thought it was 18 to 20 minutes where they played the best defensive basketball of the season. And it started with Jalen Brown who, by the way, has been their best player since the All-Star break. Hands down, it's not really close and I know he's been a lightning rod, you know, in the postseason and things like that, but he has been an incredible offensive player and he took the responsibility of God and Zion Williamson who, if we remember, killed the Celtics in the first game back in Boston. The Celtics just could not stop his penetration. Well, the first half too, of this game, yeah, in the first quarter, yeah, yeah, he slowed down tremendously after that. And Brown just really he got in his airspace. He wasn't giving him any run to shoot, he was going to make him work. He was going to wear him down and Brown took an absolute beating in that game, you know. He slipped on the floor. He slipped going to wear him down and brown took an absolute beating that game, you know. He fell, he's. You know he slipped on the floor, he slipped and hurt his hand. He took a shot to the face, um, and he just kept trying, he just kept working and and he I mean that is, I don't think people understand that assignment of a guy with that big that, that athletic that can handle the ball, and York called on to basically cover him the entire game and Brown did a tremendous job and what that was able to do is, you know, kind of unleash Kuzingers underneath and he was just cleaning up blocks. You know he was just being able to be a rim protector with eliminating Zion and the rest of the Celtics just went on a string defensively. It felt like at times there were seven Celtics on the court.
Jim Quigley:The Pelicans just could not figure out how to get a shot and you're absolutely right, they did a better job of not turning the ball over, given the Pelicans running opportunities. But even when they did, the Celtics got back and took that away. There was a huge commitment. They did a much better job in the defensive glass and that has a lot to do with the Pelicans don't crash the offensive glass at all. But I don't remember the Celtics giving up an offensive rebound in that second half. I'm sure they do, but none of them did.
Jim Quigley:But it doesn't stand out to me as any type of big play and it got to the point where I thought it was completely in the Pelicans' head where they passed up open shots or froze when they got the ball open, almost waiting for a Celtic to be there, like, oh my God, you know, there is no Derek White, a holiday in my face. You know Tatum isn't coming and, to the credit of the bench guys, when Hauser and Pritchett and folks came in the Cornette they continued to bring that defensive intensity and I thought I was impressed by that. You know. I know in the pregame they talked about the Celtics going to come out and this was going to mean something to them.
Jim Quigley:I wasn't sure. You know, like it's March, things are wrapped up for this team. I know they came off tough losses to Atlanta, but they're probably saying to themselves so what you know like okay, that happened. It wasn't our best shot and they were probably moved off it, but something triggered that, where they showed what they could be defensively and I know different teams will give you different looks and I know there was no Brandon Ingram out there who can create his own shot and beat great defenses, and the Pelicans don't have a lot of that without him.
Mike Quigley:No, they don't.
Jim Quigley:But the Pelicans, even without him, have been playing at a high level, have been winning a lot and, by the way, that's kind of set them kind of in a cycle in a bad way. Since that Celtics game. You know they got crushed to Orlando the other day. The offense looked a mess. I know Zion went down too, so that doesn't help, but they are. That to me, was something that they should hang their hat on and know they can do. And when we get into these big moments and these big games, you'd love to see that intensity. We know Drew Holiday and Derek White can navigate screens. So let's not switch it in big moments in the playoffs. If you have Deontay Murray kind of going off like you talked about, maybe it's not a double mic, maybe it's just a drop from Przingis and Holliday fights over and he just becomes a menace. You talk about different ways they can play in offense. They can play different ways in defense. That's what Holliday's done his entire career. He's doing things differently here now, but you can switch that up. So I I was just encouraged by that. It wasn't something that I've really.
Jim Quigley:Their offense has been such the prominent force this season that you know there's been instances of good defense. You know they can play good defense. They have really good defensive, individual defensive players. But that was one of the few times this year when it was on a string and you felt the impact everywhere. You just felt that defensive impact everywhere. And, by the way, they didn't play great offensively in that second half. They missed a shit ton of shots, shit ton of wide open shots, layups. Jalen Brown's offensive numbers weren't great. He missed layups, but I think that was as good a performance as he's had all season. So that's my takeaway from the Pelicans game. And so those are the. You know. I think what we're saying is, when we're watching these right now and these last six, I don't know what you're going to be able to pull. People are going to pull. Point to that milwaukee game. I wonder if the celtics are going to play anyone for that game. Does it even matter? Like, why show milwaukee anything at this point?
Mike Quigley:um, I think. I think that they have to kind of play, guys, because they're going to be scared to lose the rhythm with the play-in tournament. So I think you're going to be scared of losing rhythm with the play-in tournament. So I think you're going to see that on the stretch, you'll probably have guys nights off here and there. So I don't expect everybody to sit against Milwaukee. Maybe Tatum is going to sit at some point to rest his hand. Obviously, tatum is going to get nights off here and there for Zingas, but I still expect to see your typical regular season guys running out. It's not like old post seasons anymore. We just play. They're gonna have a lot of time off no, they are.
Jim Quigley:They are in. Um, let's get right into it. Mike, this thing's winding down. You look at the standings yeah, I just have to.
Mike Quigley:Uh, I'm walking into my office cam I gotta turn the alarm off, so I'm just gonna log off for a second.
Jim Quigley:Let you take over so we look at these standings right now as mike has logged off so he doesn't get in trouble at work. Um, you have the playing tournament in these become very interesting. Joel beat his back. Um, he looks better than I I thought he would. He looks, you know.
Jim Quigley:I thought in that first game against the Thunder he was okay, you know. But then he got better in the fourth quarter. For a guy coming off a knee injury, you don't expect that. Against Miami he was okay Again.
Jim Quigley:It wasn't great in Bede. It wasn't vintage in Bede, but he was effective and I thought it freed up Maxie to just go off. Again, it wasn't great Embiid. It wasn't vintage Embiid, but he was effective and I thought it freed up Maxie to just go off. I don't know if Maxie has that game without Embiid being in there, and that's where that team becomes such a problem. Embiid doesn't have to be at his best anymore because you got Maxie and Maxie with Embiid is just a different player and you know a big game against the Heat, even with Embiid wearing down down in the fourth quarter they were able to pull that off. And so now, mike, you have the Pacers who are a quality team in that sixth spot the Heat, a half game behind them, the Sixers, a full game behind the Pacers to get out. And that's your 6, seven, eight. So I guess I ask you is how do you think this is going to shake out? One and two, how do you want it to shake out? So two different questions.
Mike Quigley:I think it's going to fake out how I want it. There you go. He's got an easy schedule here down the stretch and a lot to play for and the most talented team. I think Philly's going to end up in the sixth seed. How I want it is to not have Philadelphia in the eighth seed and anybody else bring it on. One thing I will say about Philadelphia last night was a great game. They rested Embiid for a lot of that fourth quarter and then had him play the last three and a half minutes. He wasn't himself in that last three and a half minutes, shot an air ball from three. He was refusing to post up. He wasn't setting screens. Defensively, he wasn't moving much. So one thing I'd be concerned about if I'm philadelphia is if, if it's going to be the same old and be because of this injury, that in the fourth quarters he's not going to have any more energy left, because he certainly did not last night.
Jim Quigley:Well, but he is a guy from his legs back yeah, flip what's that?
Jim Quigley:flip the switch from the thunder game, because I thought he was very effective in the fourth quarter down the stretch against the Thunder. I actually thought he was great. He had that steal and lay up and brought home that win where they had to come back, and then he looked exhausted, like you said. So I don't know if part of this is just getting in shape for him, but what I was saying when you were off because he was there, maxie was just so much better too.
Mike Quigley:Yeah, just his presence.
Jim Quigley:Yeah.
Mike Quigley:I think they beat Cleveland. I think the Celtics. If the Celtics can end up getting a team like Miami or Atlanta or Chicago in that first round, it's going to make a world of difference. I know Miami typically will show up and they'll who knows right, they can pull off an upset or make it seven games. But the Celtics are just so much more talented than all these teams that even when you look at the second round Celtics, if they can avoid Philadelphia in the first round, then your second round's not that tough either. New York's dealing with a ton of injuries, julius Randle's not going to return. You end up playing them. You're 4-0 against them this year. I feel like you have such an advantage against them. End up playing Orlando. Yeah, they're tough, but again you're just so much better.
Mike Quigley:It's a series where it's not. I don't think it goes deep. The Celtics are locked in that. You're really your first two rounds. It's not going to wear you out like it has in the past, where they had a seven game series in the second round against Philadelphia last year. So if there's a way they can avoid Philadelphia, I hope so. If not, Jim, wow. There will be a lot to talk about right away.
Jim Quigley:I'll tell people right now it's going to be a long series. Think of Philadelphia. It's going to be a long series. Philadelphia has a puncher's chance. I think the Celtics should and will win, but Philadelphia has a chance. Who would you rather? Before I get into them? Who would you rather see? Obviously, you'd rather see Chicago or Atlanta, but they're kind of the longer shot.
Mike Quigley:Although I hate any playoff game in Atlanta because I just feel like the Celtics are hung over, but yeah.
Jim Quigley:But who would you rather see, Miami or Indiana?
Mike Quigley:Miami, miami, miami, and not because this is why, um, I feel like, in order to win a championship, the Celtics have to beat them, like there's this, like that thing that's hanging over their head. Um, I think, though, outside of that, I'd rather see Indiana, or, if I'm, the Celtics, I think it's an easier series than Miami. Miami is a veteran team. They know how to win. They know how to win in Boston. Indiana is a young team that doesn't have experience in the playoffs, and I think, at home, you can really kick their ass and blow them out against Miami. It's like all bets are off. They'll go into their junk defenses. They did it last night against Philadelphia. It's like all bets are off. They'll go into their junk defenses. They did it last night against Philadelphia. They almost won the game with zone defense. Even Philadelphia struggled against the zone.
Mike Quigley:You feel like Jimmy Butler is just a different player. Once the playoffs start, he's completely different. Caleb Martin is a different player. I think, if you had your choice basketball-wise, who's the easier opponent? I do think it's Indiana, but I do think the basketball gods are lining it up Like you know what. Boston, you want to win the championship. You're going to beat this team.
Jim Quigley:Yeah, so I think it's Indiana too. Tyrese Halliburton's confidence should scare anybody, because that kid feels like he can go in and do anything anywhere against anybody, and guys like that are always scary. But they're just a different team. Since the Siakam trade I mean look at the loss to Brooklyn the other night Siakam had scored 12 straight points, taken over the fourth quarter, and so they go to him in isolation the last three possessions, charge, front rim jumper, turnover, and I just feel like they've gotten away from what. Who?
Jim Quigley:they are, yeah, their offensive style. That was really successful. Well, I get it, that offensive style isn't conducive for the playoffs and I think that's where the Thunder is going to have problems. But it was who you are and now you're kind of taking the ball out of Halliburton's hands and putting him in Siakam and putting him in those isos.
Jim Quigley:I don't think Siakam's a big-time player and I think that would be a better match up what caitlin brown did to him in the bubble, I know, I know, I know, and that's where the miami stuff is scary, because not only do they have guys that you know uh, you know, you mentioned bam, you mentioned butler but they seem to always have guys that step up. That should just definitely not step up and that always makes you worried. I mean the Celtics aren't, whomever they play, unless it's the Hawks or the Bulls. They're not just going to get a team that is a complete lightweight, typical eight seed. They're going to get a pretty good team to potentially a title contender if it is Philadelphia. Like, look, if the Philadelphia gets a six seed and gets Cleveland.
Mike Quigley:I think they win.
Jim Quigley:Yeah, and I think they win in five or six. I really do.
Mike Quigley:I think that's the talent gap. With a beat, cleveland's a tough place to win, though, so I think it's seven.
Jim Quigley:I don't think Cleveland is going to be a good playoff team, but they showed that last season. It's a tough place to play and maybe Embiid isn't.
Mike Quigley:With the way they call games now too. If they don't allow Embiid to just flop and get to the line, cleveland plays a physical style of D with a lot of bigs.
Jim Quigley:Against the Thunder. They didn't seem to call it much different for him be than they have been. You know he was just flailing and falling. They would get him every call. So I don't know. And then you know, you line up milwaukee and philly, which would be a great, great playoff series. And you know, it's just interesting how the east is going to shake out, because we assume it's orlando and new york, but it very well could be New.
Mike Quigley:York.
Jim Quigley:Cleveland or Orlando, Cleveland, New York could bump up to three. New York could fall.
Mike Quigley:It's a nice win by the Knicks last night.
Jim Quigley:Yeah, it was a nice win by them. You know Randall's out now. Orlando could go in the same direction. Cleveland looks to be heading in the wrong direction at the wrong time right now, so they could drop down. I mean, they had a chance to get within a half game of Milwaukee for that two seed and just laid an egg against Phoenix and you know Milwaukee.
Mike Quigley:They lost by 20 at home to Memphis.
Jim Quigley:Yeah, they look to be just playing out the string. You know, munch is just such a. You know the only thing I. You know March is just such a. Here's a. You know the only thing I wanted to bring up and kind of end with. And you can close with you with you want.
Jim Quigley:We try to read so much into March and teams that are in playoff races, you can, but a team like Milwaukee and Boston, I don't know what you can read. So here's the last four champions in March the Nuggets were 9-10. The Warriors were 10-11. The Raptors were 9-8. And the Warriors were 7-8.
Jim Quigley:So I think you get to a point where these veteran teams and I know the Celtics record is going to be better than that, but their play hasn't been great at times and I think you just get to a point with these veteran teams that we're at this point in the season they're trying new things, they're getting ready for the playoffs, they're experimenting with rotations, they're putting guys in spots where they might be uncomfortable, maybe they're throwing out zones, like you mentioned, and doing other things. And I think we need to be careful as fans and observers as saying, well, milwaukee lost to Memphis, well, dame didn't play. Maybe they were trying different matchups. You know Jackson was going off. They didn't double him into late in the game. Maybe there really isn't that much to see there, I guess, for teams like that.
Mike Quigley:That's a good point. I think that going down the structure, there's going to be a lot of good basketball too. On the other end of that, for teams contending Out West, a lot of things are wide open, whether it be the one seed we have three teams within a half game of each other. Then you have the Clippers who are completely falling apart other. Then you have the clippers who are completely falling apart, which is just just watching them. It's pretty funny to see paul george get questions about james harden and his answer isn't that you know harden's working through something. It's well, you gotta ask the coach about that. Um, I'm starting to think that this offseason paul ge George is not going to be a clipper. And then, of course, you have what's going to happen in that plan they did, but Denver didn't
Mike Quigley:have Jamal Murray out there and that shot at the buzzer by Jokic looked like a guy practicing something. You see the shot he took. I was like that guy can see the shot he took. I was like that guy can get whatever shot he wants and he took a running three with one hand. It's a good point. They did beat Denver last night and so the Clippers. I mean they got the talent there. They played the right way this season at points where they looked like a championship contender. So that Western Conference is pretty solidified. Now it looks like that sixth seed is definitely going to fall. I mean Dallas is playing really well, right now they are you look at a team like Phoenix?
Mike Quigley:it's going to be probably in the plan, wow right.
Jim Quigley:Well, I think it's going to be the Pelicans now, especially with the injuries they have.
Mike Quigley:Yeah, right, um, well, I think it's going to be the pelicans now, especially with the injuries they have. Yeah, so it could end up being the pelicans, um, yeah, so I think we're going to see a lot of good march basketball. We got two final fours. Uh, that have been great. Um, you know, watching nc state do what they're doing, um, you know, if you're a fan of women's college basketball, this is like the. You had your larry bird and magic johnson moment last weekend. Um, so march is a great time for hoop and we're after the final four is over, jim, it's playoffs are here.
Mike Quigley:You know this is going to go quick. We're going to be in the playing tournament, which is great basketball. I love the playing tournaments, um, and then I'll celtics first round matchup. We'll have to wait and see. I I don't know how much there is to talk about on this pod. Until then. It's about matchups, and maybe, you know, we can talk about the offseason a little bit about who gets extended on the next pod, which should be an interesting conversation right before we hit the playoffs. Once the playoffs hit, it's just about that matchup. So that's it.
Jim Quigley:I will say this about the NCAA, especially the men's side I don't think it's been great basketball.
Mike Quigley:I think I love that. I love that fat kid from NC State. I could watch him play basketball, I think there's been times where there's been good games.
Jim Quigley:I think the officiating has been brutal where the teams are on the bonus with like 70 minutes to go and it just becomes a free throw contest.
Mike Quigley:Well, let's just say that the truth is about college basketball is that the women's game is a better product. More people are watching it. They've adjusted to what you see in the NBA. It's spread out. You have games that end in the hundreds. College basketball is still slow. It's too slow. The refs have way too much power. The women's game caters to their stars. They also highlight their stars more. They have faces in the game. So college men's basketball has a lot of work to do.
Jim Quigley:Yeah, it's been just great. Okay, and I think the star attraction in the women's game is something that caught people's attention. But I'm a pro basketball person and the game is just so much better for obvious reasons, both at the WNBA and NBA level, like Caitlin Clark and the LSU star there, that I'm forgetting her name. That's great. You know it's fun to watch. Their supporting cast is slow and okay and there's. You know it takes forever to get a layup off. You know it's not the level of the NBA skill set and it's fine. You know it's good to watch, it's good basketball. But the idea that you know you see some of this stuff on Twitter for both the men and the women's games that this is why college basketball is better, it's not, you know, it's just not, unless you don't want to see skill.
Mike Quigley:The sad thing about it, though, is Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. They make more money playing in college basketball than in the WBA. So I look at them still having a year of eligibility next year. If I was advising them, I'd say to stay, stay, make more money.
Jim Quigley:Although I think Caitlin Clark at this point is so marketable, she's going to be able to make money no matter what she does. Yeah.
Mike Quigley:Yeah, she'll be in the three-point contest at the nba all-star weekend next year. Um, unless the unless the wmba just wants to completely shit its pants on highlighting its face of the league. Uh, she should have been in the three-point contest this year. Um, one thing I do want to say is I I agree with you all the way, jim I I I'm not a fan of college basketball. I don't typically watch it, but I could watch that zach randolph, kid from nc state, play basketball all day. I am like rooting for that kid. I want him to win it so bad because he'll never have a career in the nba. This is it. This is his pinnacle right now. Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah.
Mike Quigley:You know he's a Sean May from North Carolina, Like he's. You know that Michael Sweetney from Georgetown. You know I just want a big country Brian Reeds. I want to see this kid do it. I want to see him do it. I'm rooting for him.
Jim Quigley:Yeah, I can't help but root for Dan Hurley in UConn. You know the book by Woj. Why am I forgetting the name of it? Basketball Dreams, I think, or maybe that's no. No, but it chronicles the St Anthony High School, and his father is one of the best basketball coaches I've ever read, and just shows the great work they do down there. So I don't, I never really wanted to be a Hurley fan. You know, I was never a big Bobby Hurley guy and you know. But that book is kind of flipped me and I root for them now. All right, but that's all I got. Mike, let's play up the string here with the Celtics and, and you know, the playoffs can't get here soon enough.