Having To Listen To The National Media Talk About The Celtics Over The Next 8 Days Is Going To Be Absolute Hell
Stacy Revere. Getty Images.June 6th cannot get here soon enough. Thankfully the Wolves found a way to keep their season alive (for the moment) last night and forced a Game 5, because I'm not sure I would survive these next 8 days with zero actual basketball being played. The break is tough enough for Celts fans who are itching for the Finals to start, but it's not just the anticipation that's a battle, it's everything that happens while we wait.
All playoff long I've been documenting how demented the national media has become when it's time to talk about the Boston Celtics. It's honestly been so impressive to watch all the flip-flopping, broken brain takes, and goalpost moving. When they lost a single game, it was a complete disaster. Then it was bad that they were winning playoff games by too large a margin and needed to win close games. Then when they won close games it was bad because they should have been blowouts. Then it was bad that they were never tested, but then it was also bad once they were tested.
It's all been very confusing.
But now, with the Celtics sweeping the Pacers and punching their ticket to the NBA Finals, we have now entered the Final Boss level of this type of bullshit. We've heard some outrageous shit literally from the 3rd day of the NBA season when it comes to this team
so while none of this is surprising, I'm afraid we've reached an entirely new level over these last few days, and it's something that is only going to increase over the next 8 days since the Celts are doing nothing but waiting for the Finals to begin.
I understand this might be annoying for opposing fanbases to hear or might make Celts fans look like they are trying to play the victim, but I'm sorry. We cannot let this type of bullshit go unchecked, especially when it then becomes a repeated narrative by fellow morons. Also, what else am I going to do? I've already watched Game 4 10,000 times and I spend the majority of my day praying that Porzingis' calf is going to be healed by June 6th. I have the time, so let's run through it
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We may as well start with one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. You heard the man, not that impressive to be 12-2, 6-0 on the road with a +10.8 net rating, and a perfect 4-0 clutch time record in the postseason. Sorry! Not impressive! The crux of this argument is one you often see when it comes time to discuss the Boston Celtics. If you're unaware, it's something like this
Read that tweet and then go back to listen to Broussard. It's right out of the playbook! Sure the Celtics won those games vs IND, but they could have lost! Your classic case of when winning a game is actually losing a game. Hate when that happens! Remember, these are the same people who demanded the Celtics be tested in a game and prove that they could win close when they were stomping everyone by 25 points. Now, when they go out and do just that, it's actually a loss. That's the big brain stuff you dream about.
The next piece of the equation is suggesting the Pacers are a bad team. Unlike you know, the Lakers (?????). I'm not sure why it's so hard for people to give the Pacers credit? They had the #2 offense all year! They had the #1 offense in the playoffs! All while Haliburton missed significant time! Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell were AWESOME. Maybe they're actually better than people thought? We're seeing it all over the place
Then finally, the 50 win team angle. How dare the Celtics not play a 50 win team on their journey to the Finals! It's almost like….getting the highest seed matches you up with lower seeds? Imagine that! I'm just confused as to what Broussard would like the Celts to do about there only being two 50 win teams in the entire conference, one of which lost to this supposed bad Pacers team the Celts just swept?
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Not only that, the Nuggets didn't beat a single 50 win team last year! Where was this narrative then?
Takes like this give you a general idea of where we're starting. Remember, this is the same show that stated the Celtics, despite having one of the best seasons in NBA history, are actually not even one of the best 3 teams currently in the NBA
See, this is what drives people insane. They look at the body of work that's happening right in front of their faces, and instead of admitting that they were wrong they just shift things to "I'm actually not impressed". It's very funny to watch them squirm, but also very pathetic
Mind you, Colin has already switched form "the Celtics aren't making the Finals" to "The Celtics aren't winning the title" to "Even if the Celtics win a title, they won't be a dynasty" to now currently "Are we sure the Celtics are even good?".
Again, this is not really something that is subjective. They won 64 games. They have the 4th highest point differential OF ALL TIME. They are 12-2 this postseason with one of the largest scoring differentials and net ratings ever. Does that mean they'll win the title? Of course not! But to act like they haven't had a historic season and so far have shown to be one of the greatest teams in league history is disingenuous.
Granted, we also had Perk go on TV yesterday and say the Celts run hasn't been dominant because they haven't swept an opponent yet. You know, immediately after they just swept the Pacers to make the Finals. This is the type of madness we're dealing with here.
But nothing, and I mean NOTHING tops what came out of the mouths of Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye. This was so insane I had to double check to make sure it wasn't A.I. That felt like it could be the only explanation for shit like this
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Kyrie Irving, is better than Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown? In 2024? At basketball? Mind you, these two have already faced Kyrie in a playoff series and he was VERY MUCH not better than either player while his team got swept, so I'm not sure what the hell RJ is talking about. But that doesn't even compare to what came next.
Derrick Lively, over Kristaps Porzingis? This guy?
A rookie center who basically only catches lobs is better than the 7'2 unicorn who can score at all 3 levels and is a much better rim protector? The player who shoots nearly 40% from three but also leads the league in post offense, isn't better than a rookie center?
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So you see, when you're being berated with this type of bullshit, how could anyone not get defensive? This is some of the most insane shit you could ever possibly hear about a team that is on the brink of winning a title. One minute they are a superteam, the next minute Derrick Lively is better than Kristaps Porzingis. Make it make sense.
How about when Jaylen won the ECF MVP and the narrative was that Tatum wasn't happy for him? Another throwback
There's only one problem with this take. Please watch Jayson Tatum
Remember, there are still 8 days to go. We're seeing these shows play all the hits. They already tried to recreate the Tatum vs Brown debate like it was somehow 2019
which morphed into the classic Batman vs Robin debate
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and now here we are. If you don't think the national media is going to turn it up a few notches as we get closer to the Finals, just wait for all the Kyrie vs Celtics bullshit should the Mavs pull it out.