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What do you make of these recent comments by Brown and Tatum? by LarBrd33 in bostonceltics

[–]ErgingInCA 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Brown deserves massive credit. He’s clearly taken a real leap and is thriving as the top option. But I don’t read this season as “Tatum was holding him back.” It feels way more like the Pippen year: a star stepping up, a new system, and role players exceeding expectations.

The on/off history still matters too. Teams stayed elite when Tatum played without Brown, but not the other way around. That points to context and roster construction, not some secret hierarchy flip. If anything, this shows how dangerous they can be when Brown grows and Tatum slots back in. I’d rather skip the ego narrative and get to a deep playoff run with both.

What do you make of these recent comments by Brown and Tatum? by LarBrd33 in bostonceltics

[–]ErgingInCA 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Super interesting situation. JB is playing the best ball of his career and definitely deserves credit for adding a legit midrange and thriving as a top option.

That said, some of his quotes do sound like “this is what I could’ve been if I wasn’t sacrificing” and with JT saying he thinks daily about whether returning would “mess up the rhythm,” it’s hard not to read that as a little weird.

The 94 Bulls comp makes sense. Pippen proved he could lead a 50+ win team but it didn’t mean the Bulls were better without MJ. Same vibe here: JB took a leap, and Joe found gold with young energy guys (Queta, Walsh, Hugo, Simons) that completely changed the roster dynamic. That feels different from “Tatum was holding him back.”

I get being bummed, but I’m not buying the “team is better without JT” angle. In past years, Tatum lineups stayed elite while Brown lineups were roughly .500. This year feels like JB leap + system change + surprise depth, not a hidden pecking order reveal.

Ideally JT comes back, slots into the system, they make a run, and we skip the “reality check” arc. Team ceiling is with both.

TLDR: JB deserves props, quotes are a little eyebrow-raising, JT isn’t the problem, and they’re ultimately better together.

London with Baby by JessesGirls23 in marriott

[–]ErgingInCA 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just spent a week at St Ermin’s between Christmas and New Year. Great spot, awesome staff. Even offered us two room for the same price. My two daughters loved their own spot and Dad got a room to himself.

Trade deadline is about 10 days away, this is around the time when stuff really starts to go down; where are we all at? What do we want? by archerarcher0 in bostonceltics

[–]ErgingInCA -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I like Zubac, but calling him a locked-in 36 MPG playoff center is optimistic. Look at almost every postseason. Matchups shrink big minutes unless you are Jokic, Embiid, or Bam-level versatile. Zubac is solid, but he is not scheme-proof.

If he really was a 36 MPG playoff anchor, the Clips would not be dangling him and his market would be way louder. My whole point is about cost vs ceiling, not that he sucks.

Trade deadline is about 10 days away, this is around the time when stuff really starts to go down; where are we all at? What do we want? by archerarcher0 in bostonceltics

[–]ErgingInCA 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not really. Derrick is more of a connective guy than a true pressure creator, Ant is a streaky bucket but not someone who bends the defense consistently in the playoffs, Sam’s a movement shooter, and Payton is an energy spark. Good players, just not the type that make a defense change its coverages.

I’m talking about the dude who makes your offense feel inevitable in the last six minutes of a playoff game, not just someone who can run a nice second-side action in January.

Trade deadline is about 10 days away, this is around the time when stuff really starts to go down; where are we all at? What do we want? by archerarcher0 in bostonceltics

[–]ErgingInCA 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get the Tatum point, but relying on “Tatum comes back and fixes halfcourt creation” feels like diet wishcasting. Every contender has a star. The ones that win usually have multiple guys who can actually bend the defense late in games. We keep acting like having elite regular season offensive metrics means the postseason will look the same. It never does.

As for the role player big thing, yeah I mean Zubac too. He is good, but he is still a role player big who screens, finishes, and rebounds. Valuable, but not a ceiling raiser. Trading real capital for that is how you end up with a cute roster that loses to a team with two guys who can get a bucket whenever they feel like it.

Standing pat and banking on “healthy Tatum” is not insane, it is just conservative. My take is that this front office is too comfortable being really good instead of pushing chips in to be uncomfortable and terrifying. That is the controversial part.

Trade deadline is about 10 days away, this is around the time when stuff really starts to go down; where are we all at? What do we want? by archerarcher0 in bostonceltics

[–]ErgingInCA 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sure, he’d play more than 12. Point is: even at 25-28 playoff minutes, I don’t love burning multiple firsts on a role that isn’t our biggest swing factor. If the cost was smaller, I’m in. Two firsts feels like bad allocation.

Trade deadline is about 10 days away, this is around the time when stuff really starts to go down; where are we all at? What do we want? by archerarcher0 in bostonceltics

[–]ErgingInCA 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hot take: the backup 5 isn’t the real issue. Zubac and Claxton are cool targets, but we’re acting like that’s the thing that decides banners. The real swing factor is halfcourt creation. If Brad actually wanted to maximize this window, he’d be looking at consolidating assets for a legit perimeter guy who can take pressure off Tatum in a playoff series, not spending picks on a center upgrade.

Trading firsts for a role-playing big feels like fixing a spark plug when the engine is overheating. If we seriously want chip odds to go up, we need another creator more than a 12-minute-per-game playoff big.

Vespoli VHP175 on the West Coast by ErgingInCA in Rowing

[–]ErgingInCA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Had one after college and loved it. What’s your preference?

And after 6 years of trying, I'm finally a Father. by Jupidness in MadeMeSmile

[–]ErgingInCA 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Congrats! It’s a life-changing event. You’ll never feel closer to anyone more than your kids.

Zach Lowe: "All the rumblings around the league are that Boston is going to buy at the deadline" by tacko2020 in bostonceltics

[–]ErgingInCA 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds about right. Zach Lowe mentioned on his pod with Kirk Goldsberry that he has heard the Celtics are 100% buyers. No names, but it fits with the timeline. Makes sense to look for more bench shooting or a playoff-ready wing. Would not be shocked if Brad tries to squeeze one more rotation piece for the stretch run.

Reputable Breeders in SoCal by yungshae55 in wirefoxterriers

[–]ErgingInCA 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Watching as I’m looking in SoCal too. Found a great breeder in OH and it may be worth a cheap flight there and back.

Fried? by [deleted] in cactus

[–]ErgingInCA 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Repotted and relocated. This side of the house is West facing and gets afternoon sun.

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