2015-2016 Boston Celtics Season Thread

That second half was one of the most fun stretches of basketball I've seen in a long time. The atmosphere in that stadium was electric. Here's the full highlights:

To supplement jmei's post, here is a pretty great video showing highlights from different angles in slow motion. Really shows the teams battling with an intense focus. 


Some of the fans reactions towards the end of the game are pretty great too.

Thon Maker declares for draft, NBA must rule if is allowed to stay in. Very interesting player with massive upside. If he is allowed to stay in draft it only makes the draft deeper.

Updated mock on ESPN has Celts snagging him with its third first-rounder. He is definitely they type of player the Celts can target (maybe even a little earlier than most teams would) given their draft assets. Sounds like the upside is very high, but he is raw and needs to add strength. All that said, it seems 50-50 or worse that he'll be allowed to remain in the draft.

Not sure how you can say draft class is terrible outside the very top with not evening knowing yet who declares for draft.  There are a bunch of underclassmen that could add depth to this class if they declare.  Also Dallas pick could be a late lottery pick, at worst a mid first round pick.  We have the assets to move up if we wanted to and another team was willing to move down.

I wanted to add that scouting reports are all over the place with Maker.  The one that stands out to me is comparing him to a young KG, when watching Maker that Comp makes sense.  If allowed to stay in Draft his workouts will be huge.  

I don't see how he can be eligible for the draft considering he's not a year removed from high school. He's a year removed from his fourth year of high school... Ha! Anyways, it should be interesting how they rule; nothing would surprise me but considering the NBA wants to increase the age limit I don't think they will be willingly letting him into the draft.

If the Celtics don't get Ingram/Simmons, which they likely won't, the next best guy for them is Hield. In my opinion he's like s perfect fit. He's mature ready to play and a shooter which is exactly what they need. Turner can walk and Hield can take his rotation spot and fill arguably a better need.

I know Simmons is the better "prospect" but I don't like his game much. I want Ingram first and Hield second.

Wanted to add my top pick is Simmons, then Ingram and it's not even close. After that it's a lot harder, with Bender, Murray, Hield, Ellenson and Dunn all really a toss up at this point for me. Then you have Brown, Chriss, and Poeltl not that far behind. With so many players so close I feel combine is going to be huge this year.

Assuming we get 4th pick and Simmons, Ingram and Bender are all gone. I'm currently looking at Ellenson, Murray and Dunn in that order. It might shock some people that I would take Murray and Dunn over Heild but they can both play pg, where Heild can't. Murray's a great shooter and gets to rim and can finish better then Heild. Dunn with his great D would fit like a glove with Celtics. He has great size for pg, great athlete, and good passer. He is a very streaky 3 point shooter though, but he is a scorer.

I agree I don't want Brown with our first pick, too much risk. That being said the guy is a freak athlete, 6'7'' SF, with a 7'1'' wingspan. If he can improve handle and jump shot he could be one of best players in Draft long term.

With Simmons I don't get the knock for shooting if he's going to play PF. Simmons per was better then Heild this year at 29.56, while Ingram had a 22.50. Compete level? You talking motor or the fact that he can be too unselfish? The guy had a higher per then the college player of the year runner up, so I find anything about his compete level as crazy talk. All this talk has to do with wins, people thought LSU should have won more games with a player like Simmons. I just laugh at that, look at that team, it just wasn't that good. I feel if Ingram and Simmons switched places Duke still goes to tourney and LSU doesn't. Only reason why anyone really thinks Simmons isn't clear #1 is ESPN has been debating that for months. Scouts have said same thing all year, Simmons is clear cut #1. Heck even Chad Ford as he's debating who should be #1 says scouts still see Simmons #1.

I also think Simmons would be a better fit, as he would replace Johnson or Sullinger, while Ingram would replace Crowder. Simmons would really improve our front court scoring, rebounding, D and passing.

I just did a quick Google search and could not find any credible reports questioning Simmons' work ethic. Competitiveness, maybe, but nothing about work ethic, and those are two very different things.

No doubt he's a special talent and I'd love to have the kid. I'm talking between him and Ingram only. That's good to know regarding the work ethic now I just hope he's not a Joe Johnson "competitor" type. I want killer instinct from my best talent. I just pray for either of them. Number two pick takes any decision making out if it ha.

If you are talking about finishing with the third worst record, I think the odds are higher than that. Brooklyn is now 1/2 game behind Phoenix and has 3 games remaining: ...at Indiana and home to Washington and Toronto. They have rested their two best players in Lopez and Young for the remainder of the season. Reasonably the only game they have a chance at winning is the Washington game...unless opponents also rest players.

Phoenix has 2 games remaining: at home with the Kings and Clippers. The Sacramento game is a possible win.

If you are talking about the likelihood of getting a pick in the top three if Brooklyn finishes with the third worst record, the chance of getting a top three pick is 42.5%. If Brooklyn ends up with the 4th worst record, that % drops to 39.7%

If Phoenix and Brooklyn end up with the same records, how is the pick sequence decided?...coin flip? strength of schedule? other?

As to Thon Maker, Chad Ford on ESPN Insider has an in depth article with no consensus as to possible draft position...some scouts say he could be a lottery pick and, at the back end...others say a second rounder. The feeling of some is that he is "2 years away from being 2 years away" as a productive player. Whether he will be eligible for the draft is another question of course. The crux is whether he will be considered an international player. He lives in Canada but played two years of ball in the U.S.