Who is the Most Overrated Team in the East ..aka.. Why Boston Sux.

[Shaolin Fantastic]

The underlying point (that a starting big man having net-neutral on-off rebounding splits is really good, and also that on-off rebounding splits are super noisy) really hasn't changed at all.

I did notice! You'll notice I didn't bring up JV's rebounding and your erroneous arguments about his rebounding - you did.

They're not erroneous but alright.

[Shaolin Fantastic]

So our expected W-L is now the same as our actual record now that our schedule has normalized a bit at 26-10. Boston's has started to inch closer to their actual record but it's still worse at 28-13.

But as I said from the start, they're not "trash" we're only a 1/2 game ahead of them now in expected W-L. We really need to win the match-ups against them otherwise I think they will take the #1 seed. They also have this habit of disproportionately winning very close games (something they also did last year), even though those games are statistically supposed to be toss-ups, so that's a bit worrying as well.

The 2nd seed isn't good enough. We need them to be the 2nd seed so they can at least wear down Cleveland a bit for us by the conference finals. Playing LeBron after just one round where he's swept the #6 or #7 seed is not gonna bode well for us.

[DanH]

So trash. Fake 1st seed, just like last year.

[KeonClark]

So our expected W-L is now the same as our actual record now that our schedule has normalized a bit at 26-10. Boston's has started to inch closer to their actual record but it's still worse at 28-13.

But as I said from the start, they're not "trash" we're only a 1/2 game ahead of them now in expected W-L. We really need to win the match-ups against them otherwise I think they will take the #1 seed. They also have this habit of disproportionately winning very close games (something they also did last year), even though those games are statistically supposed to be toss-ups, so that's a bit worrying as well.

The 2nd seed isn't good enough. We need them to be the 2nd seed so they can at least wear down Cleveland a bit for us by the conference finals. Playing LeBron after just one round where he's swept the #6 or #7 seed is not gonna bode well for us.

Maybe those are the games where a big coaching advantage pays off? Because as you said its seemingly becoming a yearly pattern for boston

[Demographic Shift]

Maybe those are the games where a big coaching advantage pays off? Because as you said its seemingly becoming a yearly pattern for boston

Sometimes it just goes your way.... in just the past two weeks there are two instances where the Lepraturds won two close ones where there was no coaching accumen at all.. merely shit house luck....

1. Against Indy.... watching Bogan Bogdonovic brain cramp and instead of waiting for the clock to run out or get fouled decides he is going to launch a semi blind parabolic style pass that gets picked off and a clear path dunk to win it....

2. A 26 point comeback win against the Rockets... No one draws up the game plan to come back from 26 down.... watch the Rockets best player somehow lose his mind and take two charges in the last 10 seconds and have the referees somehow miss Smart take a 6 step walk before he passes off and the Chowders get the tying basket...

Its like me on the golf course crushing one off the tee ... watching it majestically sail up ....then the hard fade begins that turns to a serious slice .. which finds its way into the trees only to have it bounce back into the fairway.... just like I drew it up...

Hard to see the Chowders getting too many more of those.. but those two are done and in the books... banked SHL.... but its sure not coaching.

[Shaolin Fantastic]

Maybe those are the games where a big coaching advantage pays off? Because as you said its seemingly becoming a yearly pattern for boston

That's what I'm wondering. If it's just a coincidence or something Stevens is doing.

[Shaolin Fantastic]

So trash. Fake 1st seed, just like last year.

"Fake" or not, we can't let them get it.

[DanH]

"Fake" or not, we can't let them get it.

I'd certainly like to avoid that potential eventuality.

[octothorp]

But as I said from the start, they're not "trash" we're only a 1/2 game ahead of them now in expected W-L. We really need to win the match-ups against them otherwise I think they will take the #1 seed. They also have this habit of disproportionately winning very close games (something they also did last year), even though those games are statistically supposed to be toss-ups, so that's a bit worrying as well.

Are those games statistically supposed to be toss-ups? Just looking through the numbers, it looks like the tendency is certainly for 'good' teams (like Boston, San Antonio, GSW, Houston), to have good records in close games. Bad teams (Dallas, Memphis, Atlanta) have bad records in close games. There's some variance, as you'd expect with the small sample sizes - a handful of good teams like Toronto, Cleveland, and OKC have fairly middling close records. Boston's close game record is just under their season percentage, and as Demographic Shift noted, a couple of those were definitely luck-related. so I'm not sure there's anything to be worried about there.

(Getting my numbers from here: http://www.nbaminer.com/margins-comebacks/)

[The Great One]

Since this is pretty much Boston Celtics thread. What do you all think of Truth's comments? I actually agree with him. Paul Pierce is a freakin legend. Feb. 11 should be Paul Pierce day. I wouldn't want to share it with anyone.

IT sounds like the biggest diva in the NBA right now. He should be thankful that the Celtics are honoring him because frankly I don't think he deserve one.

IT played 2 1/2 seasons in Boston. His team got eliminated twice in the 1st round. Last year, his team got swept in the ECF by the Cavs. Sure he averaged 29ppg last year and.....?

[Rudy Bargnani]

Yea I'm with ya. It's Pierce's day, end of story.

[Rudy Bargnani]

Oh ya, Fuck Boston.

[Demographic Shift]

Since this is pretty much Boston Celtics thread. What do you all think of Truth's comments? I actually agree with him. Paul Pierce is a freakin legend. Feb. 11 should be Paul Pierce day. I wouldn't want to share it with anyone.

IT sounds like the biggest diva in the NBA right now. He should be thankful that the Celtics are honoring him because frankly I don't think he deserve one.

IT played 2 1/2 seasons in Boston. His team got eliminated twice in the 1st round. Last year, his team got swept in the ECF by the Cavs. Sure he averaged 29ppg last year and.....?

yep.. your right.... should be Pierces night....

and its the fuck boston thread....

[KeonClark]

Pierce and Thomas are BOTH whiny ass divas, as are most of these players

I try to picture an NHL player pouting or complaining that someone else gets a 30 second video on "My day" like bro are you a bride getting married?

Be a man. Be humble. Be gracious. I must be getting old because this is all just so...pathetic. Like from Thomas saying "don't do the video tonight save it for February when I'm dressed" now Pierce has a stink because Thomas might get a quick applause and 1 min of his time on a night where he'll get tons of stuff.

NHL guys are sometimes even sheepish to get any attention at all.

The players quietly complaining to not make the all star draft public, heaven forbid you don't take yourself too seriously! And then you got Derozan tweeting himself into the all star game, I checked to see if he at least did a tweet for Kyle or anyone else too..nope.

Bah humbug.

[tDotted]

Since this is pretty much Boston Celtics thread. What do you all think of Truth's comments? I actually agree with him. Paul Pierce is a freakin legend. Feb. 11 should be Paul Pierce day. I wouldn't want to share it with anyone.

IT sounds like the biggest diva in the NBA right now. He should be thankful that the Celtics are honoring him because frankly I don't think he deserve one.

IT played 2 1/2 seasons in Boston. His team got eliminated twice in the 1st round. Last year, his team got swept in the ECF by the Cavs. Sure he averaged 29ppg last year and.....?

I don't get all the commotion. Give IT a little 1 minute tribute before tip off (which everyone will forget about after the first quarter) then at half time do the long, drawn out jersey retirement ceremony for Pierce (that people will probably forget about after the game).

Pierce is really making a big fuss about nothing.