BetCrimes1984
CTG Big Brother
OK, the question in play is, has Boston now passed the point of caring (at least regarding winning road games).
- They hold a 6.0 game lead over Detroit (both have played 73 games), therefore need 6 losses to 6 Detroit wins merely to tie, and of course they own the tiebreaker. They have 3 games left at home (MIL, IND & NJY) and merely winning these alone is enough to prevent Detroit from doing no better than tying with them, which of course is good enough for them to have HCA throughout the Eastern playoffs.
- They have 58 wins. The only team who can better that number out West is Nawlins (50 wins, 10 games left), but again, as long as Boston takes care of their home fixtures they can't be headed off for the best record hence HCA for the Finals (if they get there).
The above therefore means Boston does not need to win any of their remaining 6 road games, and surely to christ they are aware of this (as it relates to giving some much needed rest to their big 3, especially Pierce).
Of course we know they're not about to go 0-6 in these games, so which have, if any, meaning to them?
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@CHC - I see no motivation whatsoever existing here. They've beaten Chicago 3 times by 9+ points this season (BOS 3-0 ATS).
@CHA - I can see a reason they'd peform here. Charlotte has beaten them once in Boston and should've beaten them in their first meeting this season (BOS 0-3 ATS). The worst team in the East (Miami is beyond counting) who they've been basically been shamed by all season.
@MIL - I see no particular reason for Boston to get up here. Two previous encounters this season, two 9+ point wins to the Celts (BOS 2-0 ATS).
@WAS - Another team who gives Boston reson to perform - 2 losses in their last 2 encounters, with their only win over the Wiz this season coming on opening night (BOS 1-2 ATS). Revenge mixed in with knowing they can screw with Wash's playoff positioning setup, the only question is obviously Wash will come hard, would Boston want to spend the energy fighting even with reason to do so.
@ATL - no reason again to get up for this one. Won both previous games by 9+ pts (BOS 2-0 ATS), and will play this game B2B off a home game that should have wrapped everything up officially, standings wise. Looms as a blatantly obvious flat spot.
@NYK - Boston could not play any of their big 3 and still win. Swept the season series to date (BOS 2-1 ATS), I think historical pride should prove a barrier to throwing the Knicks a bone here. Plus being their 2nd to last game, I'd expect the Celts to want to carry winning feelings into the playoffs.
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Of these 6 games, I wouldn't touch the Washington or New York mls. Otherwise, I see no reason why Boston shouldn't start to hit a cruise mode approach to these fixtures at precisely the point where a number of these teams have their last chance to extract some sort of revenge for a season of humiliation at their hands.
Starting with Chicago.
- They hold a 6.0 game lead over Detroit (both have played 73 games), therefore need 6 losses to 6 Detroit wins merely to tie, and of course they own the tiebreaker. They have 3 games left at home (MIL, IND & NJY) and merely winning these alone is enough to prevent Detroit from doing no better than tying with them, which of course is good enough for them to have HCA throughout the Eastern playoffs.
- They have 58 wins. The only team who can better that number out West is Nawlins (50 wins, 10 games left), but again, as long as Boston takes care of their home fixtures they can't be headed off for the best record hence HCA for the Finals (if they get there).
The above therefore means Boston does not need to win any of their remaining 6 road games, and surely to christ they are aware of this (as it relates to giving some much needed rest to their big 3, especially Pierce).
Of course we know they're not about to go 0-6 in these games, so which have, if any, meaning to them?
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@CHC - I see no motivation whatsoever existing here. They've beaten Chicago 3 times by 9+ points this season (BOS 3-0 ATS).
@CHA - I can see a reason they'd peform here. Charlotte has beaten them once in Boston and should've beaten them in their first meeting this season (BOS 0-3 ATS). The worst team in the East (Miami is beyond counting) who they've been basically been shamed by all season.
@MIL - I see no particular reason for Boston to get up here. Two previous encounters this season, two 9+ point wins to the Celts (BOS 2-0 ATS).
@WAS - Another team who gives Boston reson to perform - 2 losses in their last 2 encounters, with their only win over the Wiz this season coming on opening night (BOS 1-2 ATS). Revenge mixed in with knowing they can screw with Wash's playoff positioning setup, the only question is obviously Wash will come hard, would Boston want to spend the energy fighting even with reason to do so.
@ATL - no reason again to get up for this one. Won both previous games by 9+ pts (BOS 2-0 ATS), and will play this game B2B off a home game that should have wrapped everything up officially, standings wise. Looms as a blatantly obvious flat spot.
@NYK - Boston could not play any of their big 3 and still win. Swept the season series to date (BOS 2-1 ATS), I think historical pride should prove a barrier to throwing the Knicks a bone here. Plus being their 2nd to last game, I'd expect the Celts to want to carry winning feelings into the playoffs.
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Of these 6 games, I wouldn't touch the Washington or New York mls. Otherwise, I see no reason why Boston shouldn't start to hit a cruise mode approach to these fixtures at precisely the point where a number of these teams have their last chance to extract some sort of revenge for a season of humiliation at their hands.
Starting with Chicago.
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