These Celtics are BETTER than ’08 Team w/ Dan Greenberg | Celtics Beat - video Dailymotion

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Dan Greenberg covers the Boston Celtics for Barstool Sports. Greenie joins the gang for EPISODE 600! Inside this episode you'll hear about how this group is better than the '08 team, why you should or should not care about the NBA Cup, and facing the Cleveland Cavaliers one more time.  0:00 - Happy Thanksgiving! 2:20 - Enjoy the journey 5:03 - Historical team performance 7:00 - Legacy concerns resolved 10:12 - Young talent potential 12:51 - Comment section reactions 15:04 - Enjoy the ride 19:18 - Celtics NBA Cup hopes 20:53 - Chaos of unwritten rules 22:25 - Importance of point differential 24:34 - Development over game spirit 26:31 - Importance of championships 28:12 - Game Time promotion 31:32 - Boston vs Cleveland 34:23 - Importance of tiebreakers 36:08 - Matchup perspective insights 38:47 - Celtics' injury updates 40:25 - Porzingis' surprising return 42:19 - Team's playoff mindset  CLNS Media is Powered by:  💰 Prize Picks - https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS Download the app today and use Code CLNS when you sign up & Get $50 instantly when you play $5!  🎫 Gametime - https://gametime.co Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Terms apply. What time is it? Gametime!  💳Start earning points on rent you’re already paying by going to joinbilt.com/GARDEN. Make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you: joinbilt.com/GARDEN, to start earning points on your rent payments today!  Elevate your style game on and off the course with the PXG Spring Summer 2024 collection. Head over to https://PXG.com/GARDENREPORT and save 10% on all apparel.  Nutrafol! Take the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off any purchase and free shipping when you go to https://Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code GARDENGIFT!   #celtics #NBA #BostonCeltics The CLNS Media Network is the leading provider for video/audio content. CLNS is a fully credentialed member of the media with access to all NFL/NBA/NHL/MLB teams & venues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  CLNS' rebuilt their YouTube community in less than 12 months, during a pandemic that attacked sports. Wondering how? Find out here (and support our channel) - https://www.tubebuddy.com/clnsmedia  Visit the Official Home of CLNS Sports Coverage -  https://clnsmedia.com  Twitter - https://twitter.com/CLNSMedia Celtics - https://twitter.com/celticsclns Patriots - https://twitter.com/patriotsclns Bruins - https://twitter.com/bruinsclns Red Sox - https://twitter.com/redsoxclns Non-Sports - https://twitter.com/northstation Facebook - http://facebook.com/clnsmedia INSTA - http://Instagram.com/clnsmedia INSTA Celtics - http://Instagram.com/celticsclns INSTA History - http://Instagram.com/nbahistoryclns

Transcript

00:00Celtics beat is brought to you by price picks and the game time app

00:06Hey everyone, welcome in new edition of Celtics beat. Happy Thanksgiving. I hope everybody had a wonderful

00:13Restful relaxing day filled with the f-words, right?

00:17family friends food

00:20Football, whatever else you can come up with

00:22I hope it was a wonderful day that you enjoyed with everybody and we're right back at it here to kind of close out

00:29Your holiday weekend, even though technically as we record this it is a Saturday

00:33I don't know what everybody's schedules are Adam Kaufman and Valenti

00:37We're always here Dan Greenberg is here with us and Dan. Happy Thanksgiving to you and to you Ev

00:42Obviously, I got to start with this. I had kind of have for the last

00:47I don't know how many shows like well

00:48We'll do our little intro that we're not on camera for so for the YouTube audience

00:52You don't see or hear this part, but people who listen to the podcast, you know, we always go into it

00:58Episode X of the show featuring so-and-so powered by whomever and

01:04So we just do this. This is this is number 600

01:09Congratulations. Well, thank you. We haven't done all 600, but we've done. I don't know what we figured out at one point in time

01:15300 250 it's we've done a lot of them

01:18We've done damn near half if not half but for the last however many shows it's been like man

01:23What do we do for 600? What do we do for 600 night? I got to be honest

01:27Maybe it was the holiday just everything else

01:31It couldn't have been more distant from my brain that this was going to be episode 600 and yet here we sit

01:38And I think it's actually incredibly appropriate that we be joined by not only a good friend of the program

01:44Who's on with us all the time, but also about as big a Celtics fan as you will come across in your lives

01:50I mean what what a way to bring in, you know a milestone show than with a milestone fan like Dan Greenberg

01:57Well, thank you. It's it's honestly, it's it's it hasn't always been, you know butterflies and rainbows, you know

02:03I mean, we've been through the depths of hell and I just think now we should just enjoy

02:09The fruits of our labor and our commitment and our loyalty and I can't imagine it's getting better than what we're seeing now

02:16So if there's a time to hop on the bandwagon, I'd say, you know, this is a pretty good one

02:21If you're on the fence, though, I do hope that people out there

02:25I mean if you're a listener of this show, I imagine I don't need to say this, but maybe you're a casual listener

02:31Maybe you're you're in the car and and you're just sort of riding along with someone who is a diehard that that put this on

02:36Is forcing you to listen to it?

02:39Understand as as Dan alluded to that like this is not normal

02:44It may feel normal as we've gotten used to it

02:47And you know

02:47We've been watching the growth and development and ascension of the Jays Tatum and Brown and and now it's like man

02:55This is this is our day-to-day. This is what happens

02:58this is what when you get spoiled by you know, 20 years of

03:02Dominance watching the Patriots led by Belichick and Brady and so it's always gonna be like this and then you know

03:09You get to five years and counting who knows?

03:11However long it's gonna last of despair and you gotta like you sort of have to you want to punch yourself in the face

03:16You want to look in the mirror and punch yourself in the face thinking back to all those days when it was like

03:21Man I could do something else this Sunday like wake me up when we get to the playoffs wake me up when we get to

03:26The to the AFC championship game. That's when the season really starts

03:31Enjoy the journey man. Enjoy the hell out of the day-to-day of this team because as Dan said, I mean last year's performance

03:39Say what you want about the team because there's been loads of debate about that

03:42But the performance the wire-to-wire performance of the regular season and the playoffs was historic

03:48By NBA standards and this season could be even better. So enjoy the hell out of what you're seeing

03:55This is my biggest argument right now between and I did this on Barrett show and off the pike the other day

04:00I was like, I'm not he was talking about trading drew holiday. Eventually. I'm not letting anybody do this right now

04:06Because this is this is I I'm mad about last year still that so many people were able to be like well

04:12Until they win the title who cares what they're doing in the regular season. Okay, you had that now it's my turn now

04:18He's turned to tell you that what you're watching night-to-night from the Celtics team is historically

04:24Relevant in terms of the greatest teams of all time and if they somehow win this year again

04:30You cannot deny anybody the fact one of the best

04:35I already think you can and and it's interesting because I'm a firm believer in a season like last year

04:42You get one of those in your lifetime, right like just not only the record

04:48But just like more 30-point wins than 10-point deficits

04:5312-and-2 on back-to-backs never lost more than two in a row like when you add all you know in totality

04:59You get one of those a lifetime and I think now that we're experiencing it what looks to be again

05:06It's just for me and I'm sure for you guys

05:08We're all around the same age. Like I was molded by the Rick Pitino years, you know

05:13Like the darkest time in Celtics history is what I was grown in like I used to dream of winning

05:2034 games maybe

05:23like like

05:24That's why I think a younger, you know, if you started, you know

05:30original big three era or you know

05:32The big ticket big three era these last 15 16 years and you're in your you know

05:37Mid to late 20s. You've only sort of known the Celtics in contention

05:42Try like, you know a 15 and 67 season and then like missing out on Tim Duncan and tell me how you feel

05:50Guys don't remember Vin Baker. I'll tell you that. Yeah, you know

05:53I think you've had to convince yourself that Battaglia Battampico is like the next great big man

05:58Like that's just why I just every time I watch them play

06:02it's just I just have the biggest smile on my face because even in my wildest dreams like this is

06:09Undoubtedly better than the KG Pierce era like they're on the court production is better

06:14The way they're kicking the shit out of teams is better

06:17It's just like, you know, Missoula ball is a more entertaining product than the dog rivers clogged the toilet offense like

06:25Everything is just better than I think any of us ever could have imagined and

06:30Eventually, like you said have the other shoe will drop and they'll have to make decisions

06:35But that's not that's a future Dan problem. Like right now. I just I mean, it's just so I'm just thankful

06:41You know like they got Al Horford their ring. So now I don't have to worry about that

06:45You don't have to worry about the legacy of your two best players forever. Like that's done

06:52Everything that we've talked about going into a Celtic season as like a concern and a worry

06:57We just don't have anymore. And the only thing we're worried about is staying healthy, which is

07:02Bizarre in my opinion. It's just very unnatural for a franchise that I feel like we've been tortured

07:0899% of my life. It's a pretty appropriate show opening topic. Obviously being around Thanksgiving

07:14We are thankful for this group and this team and these seasons and what we get to

07:19Witness here and I I do like because I've got stuff in my basement here up on the walls of the new big three era

07:25Which remember, you know

07:27it's not the big three era like the

07:29People who are around for that of bird and McHale and parish and all those getting there though

07:33I mean, maybe maybe I mean there they haven't obviously this group

07:37You know that group the new big three never achieved what that group did and that would have been insanely difficult

07:42This group could it could I mean it's gonna take obviously a string of championships

07:47and and not just the one not just you know to you got to keep on going obviously, but lord knows they've got the

07:55The talent and the chemistry and the mix and the group although I got to go back to what you were just saying with

08:01How this group is is more

08:04Special than that. Hey g-led group and and look it in so many ways it is

08:10I can't argue against that

08:11But there's just something and maybe it's more sentimental than anything else

08:15Like I was a season ticket holder back then and you know had season tickets for the entirety of that that new big three era

08:23you know, we I had just moved home from

08:25Texas at the time and and college buddies of mine and I we went in and and split a

08:31Group of tickets and you know got the full season tickets, but obviously we can go to every single game

08:36You know each of us individually, but we got the full season ticket package for you know for that whole stretch

08:41You know all those years the the seven years and and into the first year of Brad Stevens and there's just something

08:49Taking nothing away from Ray most especially Paul because you know

08:53He was as close as you could be of that group to being a career Celtic

08:58But holy god, like there was just something about kg that you know

09:03We always say he came in and he transformed the culture and and even though he wasn't necessarily the face

09:09He was the guy and you know, he wasn't the number one scoring option

09:13but still he was the one that stirred the drink all the you know, label it however you want, but

09:18like if I if if we did that whole like you see it on social media sometimes like name one player you wish played for

09:24Your team like his entire

09:27Like I I mean there I guess there were a bunch that would be in the conversation for me across all sports

09:34But kg as a career Celtic my I like and even if they only still won the one championship

09:41I'm not even talking about heightening the the production

09:44I'm just talking about that dude being watching two decades like holy crap what that would have been like I

09:50Think for me what's interesting what the main difference is like you said like he came in he changed it. We had never had

09:58like

09:59We never had like the best player in the NBA joined the Boston South, you know

10:03He was at one point the best player in the NBA, which was crazy. And that whole run was more like

10:11legacy

10:12Cherry on top for all those guys the difference this year is like

10:17This is what could be the birth of like you said the original big three

10:23You know bird McHale Paris level. It's like a it's like the different end of the spectrum now

10:28They got there, you know, Larry Bird won his title early Jason Tatum won his title in his

10:35You know before he's even in his NBA right here

10:38so it's like when kg was like our Savior the Tatum and Brown era is like our

10:45Child that we've nurtured and we've watched grow and we've seen their progression

10:51When the o8 team was assembled, it was like, okay

10:54The Avengers are here. We're loading up like we've we've just sort of

10:59Sort of, you know taking over the league by storm and how we've constructed our roster of of these legends

11:05This time we're seeing the legends like create their legendary career

11:12I'm not for I want to be abundantly clear when I say this

11:16I am NOT for one moment saying this is what it will be

11:20Or even necessarily this is what it could be because the could be of this example

11:24I'm going to give is so otherworldly and historic by NBA standards, but I'm assuming to some degree

11:32This is kind of what it felt like at the very beginning of like Jordan and Pippen

11:36You know what? I mean, like like these guys at young ages teaming together building everything around them

11:43they're the dudes and they're you know, they're

11:46So young these guys are younger than those guys were you know

11:50At the like people say it all the time like Tatum one before Jordan age-wise and and LeBron Duran and all these guys

11:56Like he's so ahead of where people thought

11:59you know you should be or have to be or need to be by by those NBA age benchmarks that we always said like

12:05It is just it is stupid what this team is

12:10Capable of just I'll say capable of because nothing is guaranteed, you know

12:14but the fact that they are have now have

12:18Started this year, you know flirting with the best record in the NBA

12:21We got another showcase coming up here to begin December against the Cavaliers to you know

12:26Determine the the top spot in league here a quarter of the way through the year

12:30But what they are doing right now off of what they did last year and now poor Zingas is healthy and and just all of it

12:37It's again. Well, I've used the word already, but I'm thankful thankful for getting witness this

12:44It's outrageous every night. It's unbelievable and I

12:48Can feel the hate from all the comments and the YouTube comment section being like these guys are homers

12:53It's like well first off. Yeah, true. Okay. Got it

12:59Really got me there but like you talked about making you know becoming legends

13:04To make this like somewhat like, you know topical at this point. We're coming off a game last night

13:10Bull Celtics in Chicago where the legend of Peyton Pritchard keeps growing by the day

13:1619 points in the fourth quarter

13:18he was

13:18they would not have won that game last night without Peyton Pritchard going nuclear in the fourth quarter from three-point range and the

13:24Confidence in which he takes some of these shots is

13:28Unbelievable you go back to the Cavs series from last year where he pulled up from like the logo

13:33I think in the second half

13:35I don't remember it was the third or fourth quarter in the game

13:38but it was a ginormous shot to take and make and keep the Celtics in that game and

13:45Eventually, they won that game. I don't remember the final score, but like his legend grows by the day

13:49He went from I want off this team to six man of the year in like two years

13:55This guy's an absolute crazy man, you know, you got Sam Hauser the final shot in the Chicago game

14:01You have people overlaying that over a Larry Bird shot. Like this is what we're at

14:05You made that same shot against the Hawks

14:07Yeah, and you had the whole Hawks bench like falling over right that that great

14:12They're all that's one of my favorite Larry Bird games of all time because the Hawks bench is like

14:18Believe the show they're witnessing and even I think is it

14:22which guy

14:23that is it for tell-all Mike for tell us the coach of the Hawks and leave at the time and he he

14:29Team for reacting this way because it's like the greatest show in the NBA beside them in the Lakers

14:34It's very similar here. Like you just have every night another guy like Tatum had 30 whatever and Brian had 20 whatever

14:41but it's like these other guys that are just

14:44Raising their own bars to get to where they need to be for this team to continue to do what they're doing

14:49and again, the coffin just said like I'm so thankful this team plays basketball all the time and you guys remember the summer

14:56It's it sucked. It was awful. There was that something's basketball on to occupy my time. So

15:02Just again. Enjoy the ride right now because every night is like historic. It's fantastic

15:07I mean, I would phrase it to you guys like this right over the last two years

15:12Who would you say has had?

15:15Down season right? Like we've been getting the best-case scenario of every player on the roster

15:221 through 15 right like Tatum and Brown, you know, they're gonna be consistent, but you mentioned Peyton Pritchard

15:29We're at you know, the highest end of his spectrum these last two years Sam Houser same thing

15:35So it's like aside from getting better by the night like right

15:40so it's like the combination of their individual commitment to getting better the

15:46Empowerment that Missoula clearly has with them and how he's able to bring this out of them

15:52And then you get them on the court and how the pieces fit together, which is the product of Brad Stevens his brain

15:58it's like this is why I think you have to appreciate it because

16:02Up and down the roster every single part like who saw Derek White turning into what Derek White has turned into

16:07It's just the fact that you're getting

16:09Literally, if you could close your eyes and picture the best case for every single player up and down the roster

16:15That's what you get on a nightly basis

16:18Simply does not happen

16:20Let alone once now you're getting it, you know in back-to-back when we have a 200 what 218 game simple

16:28Give or take of this type of basketball and they were a rolled ankle away from making three straight finals

16:34like it's just

16:36We're in a Warriors Dynasty type run right now

16:39And I know in the Isaiah years everyone kind of didn't wanna oh, they're trying to be the Warriors of the East

16:45They're trying to be you know, they don't have the horses

16:48Like this is what I imagine Golden State Warrior fans were saying after their first title of like

16:56Every single night if you can't look away because you know

16:59You have Peyton Pritchard going off for 19 in a quarter the same way Steph Curry would go off for 19, you know

17:05It's just it's unbelievable. I just can't stop smiling

17:09All right

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18:43All right, let's get back to the show

18:45So we keep alluding to this game against the Bulls which was for anyone that didn't watch a nine-point win

18:51138 129 not enough right because this was a cup game and if it was you got a win by at least

18:5816 or you got a win by 30 all the numbers people on social media

19:02Was all over the place Drew Carter on the broadcast the TV broadcast kept coming back to 16

19:07Basically, what would this this is correct me if I'm wrong about any of this, but I saw a tweet earlier today

19:14Which I think sums it up best if it's accurate

19:18I believe it to be for the Celtics to make the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup

19:24it's essentially a

19:26parlay if you will of bucks minus six against the Pistons and

19:31Magic money line against the Knicks. So you need Orlando to beat, New York

19:36You need the Bucs to beat Detroit by at least six points and the Celtics at that point in time are

19:43You know off to Vegas

19:45now I don't

19:47Evan I've talked about this. We had Max Cedric Maxwell on with us a couple weeks ago. We got into this quite a bit

19:52I don't personally care at all about the NBA Cup

19:55In fact a large part of me doesn't even want them to win the Cup simply because I don't want that ridiculous

20:01Stupid banner up in in in the Garden Rafters, you know, I I

20:06Want them to win it just to see what happens like I want the chaos of wick gross back saying no

20:12We're not gonna work screw you Adam silver. We're not raising it. I kind of just

20:17No chance that would happen. The banner would go up

20:20It's got I'm sure it is. I mentioned this to Max and I don't know because I haven't researched this

20:25But it's got to be in the bylaws of the tournament agreement that every team

20:29Signed like whoever because I don't be as much as I like to you know, dog the Lakers

20:34I I don't believe they would have chosen to raise that banner. I really don't so I I think it is a

20:41Mandate. Yeah a requirement a mandate on the part of the league that that stupid banner goes up

20:46I hope the Celtics are the last team in NBA history to win the

20:50If it means that banner going up in there, I really seriously like let's let's keep talking about this for 30 years. However

20:58This I did want to bring up I

21:01Do love the chaos of?

21:04as Joe Missoula put it throwing all the unwritten rules out the window and

21:09Just trying to win by margin

21:11We saw it, you know with the fouling of who was it Andre Drummond last year when when the Celtics were trying to

21:17Get the score up and in this one, you know a game that was well in hand

21:21It was decided Tatum comes down with a rebound with one point

21:25whatever seconds on the clock and calls a timeout and that was you know for a

21:32Select group of us degenerates a friend of mine. I got a shout-out Jim Turvey over at Roto grinders

21:37he put this bet out pregame and I tailed him on it because I thought it was just fun and because of this

21:44Absurdity of the end of this game it wound up cashing

21:47Thank You Sam Hauser and that was you know

21:50The the logic was you know the Celtics who knows if they're gonna cover the full game spread which was eleven and a half for

21:55Anyone that didn't play it, but you know in the fourth quarter

21:58It was foot on the gas non-stop and so he didn't just take the minus, you know

22:03One and a half fourth quarter spread laddered it up to minus six and a half at you know

22:08Two or three to one odds, whatever it was

22:10I think it was two to one

22:11But they were up at that point in time

22:14They were up by six points in the fourth quarter when Tatum called that timeout and the Hauser three

22:20Makes it nine cash is all your bets, but it's this is not about betting

22:26It's about the absurdity of the the you know, lack of rules

22:30I guess where it's just no we're trying to win by as much as possible to the point where we're going to call a timeout

22:35In a game that we have already won

22:37Effectively with a second left on the clock just so we can try and hit one more dagger in your dumb faces

22:43And that is an element of the NBA cup greenie that I I just I revel in I'm all about that

22:49I'm almost of the thought because again, this is the second year in a row where you're we're seeing

22:55Missoula take advantage of the point differential

22:58Significance. I kind of almost want that to be like a playoff tiebreaker

23:03Like right now you go head-to-head division record conference record

23:08Is it a stretch to think that if the tiebreakers?

23:13Proceeding was point differential then you'd see teams really play a full 48 minutes

23:19Like if it's a difference between having home cook because you remember like the last day of the year

23:24Everybody's playing at the same time, right? So you don't know like what everybody's score is your scoreboard watching?

23:30Imagine if it's a situation like last night where you've won the game

23:35But you call a timeout with a second left and then you hit a three and that gives you home court advantage in your first

23:42Round of the playoff series if you're a four or five seed like of all the wacky ideas of the NBA Cup that you know

23:49You can roll your eyes that

23:50Having importance around point differential if they one day decided like hey, this is now moving

23:56This is after head-to-head or ahead of head-to-head in seeding tiebreaker

24:01I think you could see teams playing through like you wouldn't see the scrubs come in

24:06You know the last two or three minutes

24:08You wouldn't see them just hold the ball for the final possession and take the shot clock turnover

24:13There could be something you know down the line if this continues to have these awesome

24:18I mean that was an objectively awesome moment. We all knew it was you know, why he took the timeout

24:24So I don't know

24:25I think there's something he could be cooking up something in the future as long as they keep putting the importance on on

24:31scoring margin

24:32Yeah, I get that

24:33but then there's like the unwritten rules part of like just rolling up the score at the end of games just to rub it in like

24:41Every game looked like, you know last night did where it's why not? Why not?

24:47Every possession matters. Why not? I

24:52Get your point I just I

24:55Just think that like sometimes those like end of the game minutes when he goes to the bench squad like that's like some of the

25:00Only times that you're gonna get to see like Baylor Shireman and all and those guys like

25:05Yeah, but those guys need run though

25:07Like those guys need to get in the game like Jordan Walsh

25:08Like this is an important year for him to get on the floor as much as he possibly can

25:13I love the fact that Missoula gave him time earlier in the year

25:16And has it's been harder to come by now because now everybody's starting to come back healthy

25:20But like that's you know, it's he needs to get out there like Shireman needs get out there

25:25It's it's more of a development thing for me than it is like a spirit of the game thing

25:28But I can go either way on that look you just kept it for the play in right? So it's oh, well, there you go

25:34Now we're talking

25:37You know, it has the same structure as the NBA Cup where pointer

25:40But I just kind of like the idea of forcing team incentivizing teams to play a full 48 minutes. It's kind of my point

25:47So do you guys I mean, I've already made my feelings perfectly clear

25:51Do you guys care at all about I obviously you want the Celtics to win game in game out?

25:56You never want the Celtics to lose that goes without saying but do you care about whether you know?

26:01They they win the NBA Cup. Is this I mean, I don't know that it's a priority for Joe Missoula

26:07Like I'd like to say no

26:09but then there are times that I see him chasing point differential like this and the

26:13Competitor and him to where I do think he just wants to you know, win every game at all costs to where maybe it does

26:18Matter do you guys ultimately care? It's not the most important thing

26:23You know banner 19 is at this point in time

26:26But is is this a championship an in-season championship that matters to you greenie? I?

26:32struggle because

26:34What I care I'm like like you said like I don't put more

26:38Attention or more weight when they play on Tuesdays or Fridays, you know

26:42Like when they're on the court, I want them to win like that's just I don't get more up for tournament games

26:50I don't think a game like last night means more than a game tomorrow just because tomorrow isn't

26:56NBA Cup game, but at the same time it's like if they're in it, you might as well win it

27:03You know what? I mean? It's like don't don't exert yourself to win it

27:07Don't you know run your guys into the ground to do it keep the bigger picture, you know in mind, but if they

27:14Don't make the knockout round but still went three and one like I'm not gonna lose sleep over it

27:19The same way I didn't lose sleep when they lost to Indiana

27:23Aside from the fact that they just like lost the regular season game

27:26Not that they lost an NBA Cup game and for me

27:29I think that's the hurdle that I don't know how Adam silver

27:34Overcomes because as long as the Larry O'Brien exists and your team that's in contention for that

27:41That's always going to be the only thing that truly matters to me

27:45But if you're a team like the Hawks, right and you might not have a title chance

27:51The NBA Cup can be a pretty big deal for the development of your rebuild so I can understand the importance

27:58But for me, it's kind of like I'm not gonna be heartbroken if they don't win it

28:03But if they're in contention for it, I would like them to win just because you know

28:08Why not if you're gonna be in it, you may as well try

28:11Yeah, this is like the perfect outcome for me

28:13They're gonna go three and one and cut play and just not win by enough and yeah not go. I mean, this is perfect

28:18This is great. They won their games

28:20That's all you got to do just just keep stacking W's and we'll get through this thing

28:24And as I get along everybody healthy, you know doesn't really matter for me

28:27again, if they'd won Garner that like and go to Vegas they go to Vegas like I will be excited but like

28:32This is really the best case scenario for me and personally

28:36And I also just I truly think they're gonna say fine

28:38We'll hang the banner, but it'll be in the our box center or something like this is gonna give cuz you know

28:43Adam Silver didn't let them have the parquet in the middle of their court last year

28:47So I'm not I'm not ruling out the spite factor of wick being like, you know

28:52I'm not gonna tarnish my legacy of an owner by hanging that bullshit. So we're not doing it. So I'm holding out hope for that

28:59Just one more break. We got to tell you about

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31:05Well the the next game of the year first game of the year was the first matchup with Cleveland, right?

31:09So the next game of the year begins December and that is tomorrow as we sit here. It is Sunday six o'clock Eastern start and

31:17We saw these two teams, you know match up a

31:21Couple Tuesdays ago was November 19th and Boston, you know got out in front by a lot

31:26Ultimately only won that game by three points Tatum at a solid game. We don't run down the box score, but

31:33Boston is coming into this one 16 and 3 Cleveland

31:36You know took that first loss of the year after a 15 and 0 start to the Celtics now out to a 17 and 3 start

31:42So again, this game is determining first place in the Eastern Conference and in the entire NBA for that matter

31:50Because Oklahoma City leads the West at 15 and 4

31:54Again we're quarter of the way through the year

31:56So there's no more importance of this game than it is just you know, another measuring stick game another

32:03one on the schedule against a team that a lot of people are viewing it as a

32:09Threat to you whatever level of threat a threat to you in the Eastern Conference

32:13Obviously now I like the Cavs in that I I do think they are a challenge

32:19I don't think of all the teams you could face in the Eastern playoffs if you know

32:23projecting full health across the board that they would be your toughest out, but I think they would be harder than

32:29Some like I'd I'd you know, I think Cleveland would be a tougher out than you know

32:34Philadelphia if the Sixers ever got their crap together, which by the way, they won't they're not going to playoffs

32:39They're not even going to the play and they're 3 and 14. They're a disaster a complete dumpster fire

32:44But you know Milwaukee has turned its you know, poor start arounds out to a 9 and 9 start

32:50So they're gonna be there Knicks are obviously gonna be there Max when he was on with us said that he believes or land

32:55I don't know if it was clickbait or if he really believes this but with

32:59Whenever he thinks Orlando is is, you know

33:02Your biggest threat in the Eastern Conference winners of five in a row nine and one over the last ten now to a 14 and seven

33:08Start, you know, you we're all gonna have you know, Pete PTSD forever with Miami and still I don't know Riley Spolstra Butler

33:17They're all gone. Whatever it is and Indiana is in the play-in mix

33:21So, you know, there are there are teams that we can debate how viable we really think they are

33:26What are these games against?

33:29Cleveland specifically mean to you

33:32So there's two there's two things first

33:35it has to be so deflating for them to have like the fifth best start in NBA history and then

33:41You get to Thanksgiving and you're basically not even potentially not even in first place

33:46You know that has to be so deflating for them

33:48But these games no matter when they happen against Cleveland are important for a few reasons first

33:54head-to-head tiebreaker, right if they're gonna play at a similar pace for the Celtics and there's a chance you could finish with the same

34:01You know record then, you know when it comes to home court in playoffs head-to-head tiebreaker is always important

34:07The second is if the Celtics somehow don't make the knockout round of the play in

34:13Cleveland's already eliminated which means you're gonna have an extra game

34:17Against the Cavs which may come in handy down the road for tiebreakers

34:21So I always think that anytime you're playing a team that is playing great basketball

34:27I mean, I think their quality of play their shooting may not be sustainable

34:32But how they're playing the connectiveness that they share Kenny Atkinson how he's having them move off ball and cut like that's all

34:40Sustainable things to me. I think healthy

34:43they have the defense that can maybe not guard you because they are a little spotty on the wing, but you know, they

34:51Very well may finish with the top five defense in the league

34:54And I just think you're only gonna get so many quote-unquote measuring stick opportunities, you know

35:00Given how talented the Celtics are. So for me, I think this is it's like psychological warfare tomorrow

35:06It's like you guys are riding high you think that you you know, you're off to this great start and you're in contender

35:12But like here comes the big bad wolf to show you what it really means

35:17To be a contender and I think you know, these are the opportunities where the Celtics need to

35:23Remind themselves and the rest of the league like you're a cool story

35:27It's fun to have another good team in the east when there aren't really that many but there are levels

35:33To get to where you think you're ready for and honestly, it'll be nice to see both sides

35:40Hopefully, I'm not sure what the Cavs health status is

35:43But like, you know Porzingis is only played once against the Cavs

35:46Like we haven't really seen the Celtics that full-strength go up against them

35:51So that's just I'm interested from a matchup perspective

35:54Like how does that all shake out if they're gonna have the two bigs on the floor and you have Porzingis and Al?

36:00Like do you match them? Do you bring Jared Allen away from the rim?

36:03Like there's a lot of schematic things that I think we haven't seen yet

36:08Just because both sides haven't really, you know had their their full rosters available

36:14Yeah, it's one of the few things that you can actually like learn something from a basketball game

36:17I said last year whenever they played Denver

36:20It was like hugely important because you to learn about your team a little bit more than you do in a game against

36:26I always pick on Charlotte. So let's go like Detroit, right?

36:29You're gonna learn more about your team when you play a much better team and team that has changed bad aspiration

36:34so

36:35Just from a just a matchup standpoint as green. He said this what does this look like with KP on the floor?

36:41How do they you know maximize the killer?

36:43We're all killer whale offense to pick on people like you can't wait to watch KP post up Darius Garland

36:48It's gonna be great. But like, you know

36:51When it comes down to tiebreakers the end of the year like you're gonna want home court

36:55That's a fact like I know Boston can go on the road win playoff games

36:58But you prefer if you didn't you know, that'd be nice. So

37:00In game sevens are always better in your building. That's a that is a fact. So, you know

37:05again, you want to say they all matter but this one matters a little bit more and I'm and I'm curious to see how this

37:10others come out and

37:11Assert their dominance from the jump and I think it should be important to say like people always say oh, it's important

37:18And then they lose. It's like, oh, well, it's a regular season

37:20No, no

37:20Like these are the matchups where it's kind of a big deal if you lose it and it's a big deal if you win it

37:27And I think you know, even though it's only gonna be December 1st

37:31They all matter to some degree

37:33But like I've said like there are a select few like when they play, Oklahoma City when they play

37:38You know Denver again when they play, you know the true

37:42Contending teams like these are the ones where you get to see okay, you know

37:48We're we know we can beat up on the Bulls when we need to we know we can

37:51Handle, you know the Sixers if we need to or the Bucks whatever. These are the ones where it's like, okay

37:56You know, you know, they're gonna be motivated because of what happened in the first meeting now, they're at home

38:01It's it's it's just gonna be fun to watch

38:05So Celtics have won seven straight with this game over the Bulls Derek white

38:09I know left that game with an injury but told Missoula after the fact that he's fine. So Celtics are fully healthy

38:14We'll see if everyone in fact plays in this game against Cleveland shouldn't you know?

38:19Honestly of the injury report a little bit later on today as we sit here right now

38:22But I mean look they they understand the magnitude of this contest just in terms of again that measuring stick element of it

38:29So it not being a back-to-back or at least you know, the it's the front end of a back-to-back

38:35I don't like I would imagine I'd be surprised if Horford sits this one in place, you know against Miami

38:42Let's say, you know

38:43I think it's they want to go out and everyone's gonna be available against Cleveland and we see what happens against Miami

38:49So basically again this being a quarter-point check-in on the season more or less anything

38:57that

38:58Has I don't know either you're still looking to learn we've seen very limited porzingis this year

39:03but we you know, we know how he fits in or

39:06Anything that has exceeded your expectations, you know before we put a bow on this show. I

39:12Mean, I'm still waiting. I'm still apprehensive on their defense, right? Like I think it's a mix between

39:18Coasting and not having porzingis now when he's back you can see their room protection is certainly better

39:24But they're still giving up way too many points for my liking

39:27So that's something that I'm just curious to see is it real regression or is it just we're going through the motions

39:34We know like we can lock in when we need to I don't exactly love that approach

39:38Because they didn't really have that last year. They were just nails from you know, the first week of the season on

39:45Over surprising I think it has to be Pritchard right just his ascension into this

39:49You know off the bench 20-point score is pretty crazy

39:52And I just think it's a little surprising that they've just hit the ground running the same way the point differential is the same

39:59It's just like a continuation

40:02I was expecting it to be like the second warrior the the first Warriors year compared to their Kevin Durant

40:09Title year where they were historic like you're still dominant

40:12But not historically dominant

40:15You're getting the same historical point differential again, which is again almost unheard of

40:20So I think for me the fact maybe that actually now that I think of it the biggest surprise

40:25Might be the fact that they didn't lie to us about porzingis his injury that actually wasn't as bad and he came

40:33Yeah, when have we ever had that result of a major leg injury to a seven-footer?

40:40I feel like it's never turned out that way. So that's a pleasant surprise for sure. No, I was saying all throughout

40:46however long since the injury like

40:49Don't be surprised if he's not back till January, right?

40:53Christmas time like I

40:55free Thanksgiving

40:56Blew my mind and it's never happened

40:59It was no rush whatsoever

41:01Like he they could have bubble-wrapped him until the new year and people would have been totally fine with it because of how the team

41:06Has been playing but I appreciate especially with his reputation of you know before, you know pre Boston the the the reputation

41:13That's a fair run fair. I have no idea

41:15We didn't fall as closely in his other stops

41:18But the pre Boston reputation surrounding porzingis didn't scream guy who can't wait to be back on the floor

41:24So the fact that you know, he came back

41:27You know it as as urgently as he did and was you know

41:30Pressing on the team to be a part of this was just another feather in his cap. I'd say

41:36Yeah, I mean it the it's come out that they were knew he was gonna come back early

41:40I think when they went to Abu Dhabi like they kind of already knew that he was gonna be out of schedule

41:44so you gotta give him credit and

41:46like all the all the whatever people thought about porzingis before he got to Boston that's all been erased and

41:53The only thing is like he does get injured quite often

41:55But when you're seven foot three and you know, it's just gonna happen more often ask Joel and beat how that's going

42:01Again everything's going better than you could have expected at coming off a championship season and it's remarkable that we're saying that but and there's still

42:08So much more season to go

42:10but I think everybody's got a

42:11clear picture of how this needs to go by the time and get to April what it needs to look like when they get into

42:16The playoffs what it needs to look like so the fact that everybody's moving in the same direction

42:21And has the same mindset that's wonderful stuff. And that's how champions repeat

42:26All right, so Celtics at Cleveland this time and that is Sunday night

42:31Hopefully people tune in for it's a good way to wrap up the long weekend and then back home against the heat and then Wednesday

42:38against the Pistons and

42:40Maybe a Thursday show next week for us to you know

42:44Review what has gone on before a primetime matchup nationally televised Friday

42:49December 6th at home on ESPN against the Milwaukee Bucks

42:53so again number 600 in the history of Celtics beat here on CLNS and

43:00Truly no better guest to join us for it. Dan Greenberg

43:03He is barstool greening to many of you out there on you know on barstool and putting this is

43:10Columns his blog post together. He's out there occasionally and you know, I haven't seen as many of the Twitter spaces as maybe last

43:18I

43:21Honestly, I think they I don't know I I'm not sure Elon is is really messing with the algo that's for damn sure

43:28But a greenie we love having you on bud. We'll do it again real soon

43:31Of course appreciate guys for Dan Greenberg for and Valenti. I am Adam Kaufman

43:36We are all collectively thankful for these Boston Celtics this time a year and all times of year big matchup coming up on Sunday

43:44See ya

43:47You

These Celtics are BETTER than ’08 Team w/ Dan Greenberg | Celtics Beat

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