Celtics Lose in the First Ever NBA In-Season Tournament Knockout Game (but I still fw the IST)12/4/2023 
This L comes nowhere near the pain of playoff series loss, but yeah, it would've been nice to win this tourney that I initially thought was a stupid idea. Now that I understand how the IST works, I like it. They may need to tweak a few things but so far, so good.
I gotta give it to Adam Silver. There's a reason he's the best commish in the Big Four, and it's not just by default because the other three stink at being humans. This tournament is unlike anything else in American professional sports and has been a resounding success. It got people more invested in early-season basketball, which was the ultimate goal. Going into this game, I thought the Celtics would win, but I did have a weird feeling that since we beat Indy by fuckin' 51 last time something weird could happen. Ever since the 2010 Jets beat the Pats in the Divisional Round after losing on MNF 45-3 like a month and a half earlier, I've always had that in the back of my mind in situations like this when teams meet again after a blowout. Any self-respecting Celtics/Boston sports fan knows about the '85 C's and the Boston Massacre. The Celtics beat the Lakers by 34 in Game 1 of the Finals, lost Game 2 at home, and ultimately the series in 6. The Yankees won Game 3 of the 2004 ALCS 19-8 before losing three straight. I know it's easy to get caught up in blowouts, but how many examples do you need to realize that (in the vast majority of the time) you can't put too much in a prior blowout in a playoff setting? Of course, this spicy regular season game only counts as one loss in the standings, and on December 4th, it's only the C's 5th of the year. We'll be fine. The Haliburton 4-point play changed everything, and you gotta tip your cap to him; not a bad time for your first career triple-double (which was low-key shocking) either.
There might not be a person on this planet who cared more about this game than Aaron Nesmith. He's gonna talk about this block for the rest of his life.
It's understandable why he'd wanna show the C's they made a mistake trading him, but let's not act like it wasn't a smart move for the Celtics.
Not to be that stereotypical Boston douchebag, but it is a literal fact the 17x time NBA champion Boston Celtics only put up NBA championship banners. You can't tell that we lost in 6 to the Warriors or that Perk tore his ACL in 2010 by looking at the rafters. This is just some Euro soccer midseason; money is the motive tourney. Now we can play the "Who fucking cares?" card. Do you think Red Auerbach would give a FUCK about the IST? Winning the inaugural one would've been cool, but I'll take losing in this knockout round over the one in spring. If the Bucks win the IST and lose in the first round again, they're gonna get memed to death.
Indy got UP for this game. They're a good team with a great fanbase, this type of gimmick is perfect for them. I'm not making excuses, but we didn't have KP and shot 29.3% from deep (not ideal!). Even though we could've easily won this game (there were legit 14 lead changes), we didn't play well enough to seal the deal. The Pacers turned it on late and had the Fieldhouse rockin'. The Jays were efficient; Jayson scored 32, and Jaylen had 30, but the C's -14 3rd quarter was Olivia Rodrigo-level brutal. That is the one legit area of concern for this team, but Scal made a good point (I know..wild, right?.) in the post-game---most of the time, the Cs come out of the break with a big lead, and it's human nature to let up. I hate that that's the case, and I'm sure Joe doesn't like it either, but it's still fucking December, man. Plus, until the playoffs start, my #1 concern is stopping fascism. Bleed Green. P.S. I'm not letting the loss take away from Jayson's incredible November. We've got bigger fish to fry than the NBA Cup!
0 Comments
Song: The Nightfly (1982) Artist: Donald Fagen Album: The Nightfly I've recently started dipping my toes into Fagen (and Becker)'s solo stuff. My man is an elite storyteller. 
Sorry loyal DOL readers, I've had a lot going on but am forcing myself to blog because I miss and need it! What better topic to kickoff my return after a nine-day absence than the 2-9 Pats??
The last time I wrote about the six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots was after their unexpected win against the fraudulent Buffalo Bills. Since then, they've dropped four straight and clinched their second-consecutive losing season. The last time the Patriots did that (1989-1993), Robert Kraft didn't own them. Given the significant injuries and abysmal quarterback play this team's dealt with, it's not all that shocking they're bad, but I NEVER thought we'd be 2 and fucking 9. I may have even convinced myself there was a path to 10 wins in August. My bad for thinking we could beat the Saints, Raiders, Commanders, Colts and Giants. Hand up. I ended up ub**ing during the Giants game and didn't see a down. In my world, it's like it never happened. Good thing Belichick drafted Ryland in the FOURTH ROUND!!! How is that even possible? 
Call me Natalie Imbruglia because I'm torn on what to do with Bill. It's a major bummer to see him in this position with so many Patriot fans out of faith. It feels like the game is passing him by. He's in his late 80s Tom Landry era. It seems like if he is gonna break the all-time win record, it's gonna happen elsewhere. That's sad af to me and likely millions of other Patriot fans.
I know it's easy now to be like, "SEE, IT WAS ALL BRADY," but that simply isn't true. You can't let this one year tarnish BB's legacy. What is true and, frankly, undeniable is that Bill Belichick's drafting has been subpar at best for a looooong time. There isn't a single player from the team's 2019 draft class on the roster. I know Covid fucked the world and concept of time up, but that's not that long ago. Now, if you wanna say Brady covered up a lot of those horrible drafting scars, you'll get no argument from me. I was hard on Belichick's drafting long before DOL was born. Yes, he's drafted some studs, but there are way too many misses, especially in the early rounds. For every Devin McCourty, there are six Cole Stranges. I don't really follow college football, but I know there are some guys who "could" be franchise QBs. I'm all in favor of tanking to grab one of them (Bo Nix??), especially if the Pats do the unthinkable and move on from Belichick. I tried to give Mac the benefit of the doubt. Part of me still believes in him and thinks the Patriots (Belichick) stunted his growth, but it might be time for some change. Also, reminder...I didn't see a down from Sunday. I wouldn't hate drafting Maserati Marv and giving Mac one chance/a one-year show-me deal for Kirko Cousins. Yes, we're 2-9, but we could easily be 4-7 or even 5-6! As bad as Mac's been, his throw to Parker in the Raider game was perfect.
This may sound like a cop-out, but it's more so just the truth of being 32 in a crumbling society...it doesn't bother me that much that the Patriots suck. Would I enjoy watching even JV-level football? Of course, but dude...we won six Super Bowls with Brady and had the most remarkable run of sustained success in NFL history. Of course, it wasn't gonna last forever. WE were lucky enough to have a nearly 20-year run as the class of the league before there s full-fledged class warfare. So we gotta deal with some unwatchable football? Whatever. There are much bigger issues at hand. Plus, the Celtics are the best team in the NBA and have only won one ring in my lifetime. That's where all my next championship thirst goes. I'm all for one horrible year to get back in the mix next season with a better QB/Maserati Marv.
It's just fucking crazy to think that Belichick could end up coaching in like Washington or Carolina, but then again, it's still kind of wild to think Brady played three years in icky Tampa. I have friends who say things like, "I want Bill to stay on as coach but give up his GM responsibilities." Yeah, dude, no shit. That would be fine. I mean, we have only given up 10 points in each of the last two weeks (to bums, but it's still hard to do in today's NFL!). Maybe he's still got it? More importantly...do you think Bill Belichick would be okay with that arrangement? No chance. He's from the Parcells coaching tree. He has to be able to pick the groceries (even if he'd choose a rotten tomato from a nowhere farm in the first round over an excellent cut of steak). Plus, don't you think Belichick hasn't heard all the noise he's told his players to ignore all these years? He has to know how many people think he's washed or that Brady deserves all the credit for the Dynasty/Patriot Way. If Belichick won another Super Bowl elsewhere, that'd be quite the feather in his cap and would all but cement him as the best coach of all time (I still think he is). At this point, I'm just worried we're gonna fuck up the tank. We're 2-9. No sense in winning a couple games now, but if there's one team that could lose to a team trying to lose, it's the Chargers. In my ideal world, we have the #1 pick locked in going into week 18, so we can beat the Jets and keep that win streak alive without hurting us long-term. Gun to my head Belichick is gone next season.
Song: Glamour Profession (1980)
Artist: Steely Dan Album: Gaucho
Happy Spotified Wrapped Day to those who celebrate (I do not, #applemusic). Obviously, I had to give my #1 major dudes some love today.
P.S.
I started a new teaching position this week and yesterday my TA played "Hey Nineteen" out of nowhere and we instantly bonded over our love of Steely Dan. Music is everything!
The C's probably got away with one in Memphis against a banged-up and battered Grizzlies, but a win is a win, and last night's victory was the C's 6th straight. At 11-2, the Celtics have the best record in the NBA. We're playing for a banner, but you gotta enjoy the ride *3 shaka emojis*.
I was switching back and forth between the C's and SNF like Ray Allen because YoutubeTV multi-screen technology is still in its infancy and won't let you choose your multi-screen combos. Plus, I was playing Madden and texting this new girl that I low-key might marry, so hand-up, I wasn't paying super-close attention to either game, but I saw the ending in real-time and caught all the craziness. That's what matters! Porzingis had the game-winning slam (great pass, Jayson!) and ended the game in style with rejection.
It's hard to make up for nearly a decade of Marcus Smart antics, but you gotta love this reaction from KP! That was pure swag. It kinda reminds me of when Gronk laughed in a Steelers defenders face after making a sick grab for a 2-pointer.
It would've been nice to see Marcus on the floor, but he's out for the next month or so with a foot injury. At least it's still all love between him and the C's. I wouldn't be shocked to see Marcus find his way back to Boston someday. IDK if it's even possible to happen this year, but I'd love to see it, cause it's gonna be bittersweet AF if we win it all without him.
I don't wanna mush the C's, but let's just say that both significant trades this off-season look to be major Brad Stevens wins. Timelord is nasty, but damaged goods. Jrue has been incredible. Credit to Brad for putting his brain ahead of his heart because I would've never pulled the trigger to move Marcus.
In addition to SIX blocks, KP was efficient AF in the paint last night.
Sure, Derrick White caked a lay-up that would've sealed the game and Memphis got a great open look at the game-winner and just missed it....but we won, so chiiiiillll. It's a long year. Just stack the wins. We don't care about covering the spread and love to see KP taking things into his own hands to ensure The Grizzlies' look to tie never stood a chance.
Last year's Cs probably lose this game, but things just feel different this season. Dare I say special??? KP won us the Knicks game that we probably should've lost, and yes, I'd love to see him get more boards, but overall, this trade has been phenomenal for the C's. Through 13 games, Porzingis is averaging 19.8 points, 6.8 boards (we'd like to see more out of someone his size!), and 1.8 blocks a night on 56.7% shooting. P.S. Sam Hauser is a bucket. 5/7 from deep last night.
Double P.S.
Jaylen's been a tad shaky from the floor to start the year (I'm not worried), but defensively he's elite.
Song: King of Wishful Thinking (1990) Artist: Go West Album: Indian Summer This song popped up on my Youtube homepage and while I do love it, I'm high key posting it as an excuse for the P.S. P.S. Everybody loves Paul Rudd. Idk if I can trust someone who doesn't.
Abusive is too harsh a word, but I'd say most, if not all Madden lover's relationship with the game is neglectful. We stick around even though the game has neglected us for well over a decade. Every year it's the same ole thing with maaaybe a tweak or two. When ESPN2K5 (the GOAT football game) has you beat in gameplay and special features, it's clear the goal of this game isn't to be its best self.
I've tried to avoid buying games or accessories for my PS4 since it's a PS4, but last week I broke down and bought Madden 24 since it was on sale for $29.99. I know the game is ass, but I fucking love playing people online and wanted to play with the new rosters. I love the chess-match of play-calling. There's nothing like outsmarting a stranger by pressing buttons. Plus there were rumblings of this year being better, which I believed like a fool. Sure, mini-games are back (which is something), but for the most part, it's the same version as last year with updated rosters and a different button for accelerated clock (ftr I don't love that change). The whole reason I'm banging out this quicky-blog during my free period (apart from needing to write; #HireDozo) is complain about one of the game's more notable changes. As I typed that, I scoffed to myself like "actually, it's not notable at all" and that's the fucking problem! EA changed the chyron scorebug. Here's a random screenshot of Madden 24 gameplay taken from google images. It could be from PS4, but the system isn't what matters here. I'm here to bash the scorebug. What is this? A play clock for ants?!? 
Last year's scorebug wasn't anything to write home about, but at least the play clock wasn't hidden away like a dimebag in your high school bedroom.
Hopefully this doesn't come across as an old man yelling at clouds blog. I know our senses weaken over time, but seriously...this shit is just too fucking small man. Not only is it small, but it's tucked away. At least before it was clearly the last thing on the bug. I'm not saying it needs to be the size of the font on your dad's iPhone, but come on EA! Assuming you're not sitting inches away from your screen, even on a modest 42 inch TV (I have a 55 in my room) as opposed to a screenshot on a blog, it's not easy to find.
These pictures were initially taken to show off the glitch that makes kicking almost impossible, but with Madden being Madden, they also showcase the microscopic play clock.
That's literally all I've got. Not every blog is a home run, but this has been a major thorn in my side since I started playing again last week that had to be addressed. Yes, I'm 15 games over .500, but that's not what this blog is about. Nobody cares that my (DEFENDING CHAMPION) fantasy team has won 8 in a row, either. I just want EA to put a little effort into this product, not make us play Where's Waldo when we come back to our game after sending a text or changing the YouTube video.
Song: The Melting Of The Sun (2021) Artist: St. Vincent Album: Daddy's Home I've listened to this song at least 39 times this week and love St. Vincent (Annie Clark) v much. I wish it didn't take me so long to fall in love with her music, but I feel like I've made up for it over the past 2 years. She currently holds 4 of the top 51 spots on my Apple Music most 100 played songs of of 2023. This performance gets me everytime. Also, I'm incredibly attracted to her Daddy's Home persona. I'd take the Benzo Beauty Queen in a heartbeat! P.S. I've been at least 50 of this version's < 1000 views. 
Yes, you read that headline that I'm feeling iffy about correctly. For the first time since 1989, an Arizona Cardinal Tight End registered 100 receiving yards in a single professional football game. Congratulations to Trey McBride for breaking the streak!
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 13, 2023
This milestone is a huge deal for niche stat guys. One of my boys even hit me up for this momentous occasion. For a hot second, I thought I ran into some box last night but forgot, and he was congratulating me.
Before today, the last Cardinals TE to post over 100 receiving yards was Rob Awalt on November 9th, 1989. Back then, they were known as the "Phoenix Cardinals," I was -2 years old, and Milli Vanilli was one of the hottest acts on Earth.
Everybody knows I unironically LOVE Milli Vanilli.
In 2021, Maxx Williams had 94 yards for the Cards, which brought this jaw-dropping stat into the mainstream. Shocked by its improbability (at the time, the Texans had the 2nd longest streak w/o a 100-yard TE, which dated back to 2013), I dove deep into this topic in a blog entitled A Deep Dive into the Futility of Arizona Cardinal Tight End Production that further broke down the Cardinals' lack of Tight End success. No bias...it's worth the read.
Maxx Williams' 94 yards in 2021 was not just a close call to triple digits; it was also the most by a Cardinals TE since Awalt went off for a buck-oh-five in '89. So, not only did it take until today for a Cardinals TE to eclipse 100 yards, but from November 9th 1989-September 19th, 2021, no Cardinals TE went over 90 yards.
These weren't empty, meaningless garbage time yards, either. With Kyler Murray back, the Cardinals won just their 2nd game of the year (which is HUGE for the Pats in their hunt for the top draft pick), and McBride's grab that set up the game-winning field goal also put him over the century mark.
Even though I have zero faith in their head coach, maybe brighter days are ahead for the Cardinals? Trey McBride is low key already one of their best TEs of the past 30 years. In week 8, he had 10 receptions for 95 yards. Now that the streak is over, watch him put up back-to-back 100 yard games, similar to when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their 0-26 streak with TWO straight wins to close out the 1977 season (as all my readers remember so well).
P.S.
Here's a little something for the nerds.
Double P.S.
Trey McBride is the first player in NFL history to have two moms. What a great day for the lesbian mother community. You helped end a 34-year streak! Think about where gay rights were 34 years ago (hopefully the Fascist right doesn't do more to send society back 340 years). Also, it's kinda wild that "bride" is in his last name...I wonder if that's on purpose? Song: Look Away Artist: Chicago Album: Chicago 19 (1988) Tonight's SOD (the Billboard #1 song of 1989) plays directly into my next blog. |
Archives
November 2023
|
RSS Feed