data-mm-id=”_f97fn9csq”>Imagine, if you will, that the Boston Celtics are like the eye of a hurricane. Then imagine the storm surrounding them is made up of takes rather than rain, thunder, and lightning. Takes flying at high speeds about Jayson Tatum's clutch factor and the team's inability to get their act together when the game is close in the final minutes and whether Kristaps Porzingis is built for playoff basketball and the functionality of Jaylen Brown's left hand against locked-in defenses . No matter what the Celtics do, whereever the eye wanders, they bring the storm with them. It's been that way all year. The 2023-24 Boston Celtics are the perfect lightning rod for the hot take industry. And that has become even more apparent in recent days after they blew a 20-point lead in eight minutes to the Donovan Mitchell-less Cleveland Cavaliers. Getting slammed for that is not unique to these Celtics at all. Whenever a championship contender gets lit up by a guy named Dean Wade and blows a huge fourth-quarter lead, the noise is going to get loud. Especially coming after a 50-point win over a dying dynasty and causes the end of a double-digit winning streak. But it's not just the Cavs game. It's everything about this team that makes it the best launching pad for the hot-take debates that rage in studios across the country. They are the best team in the league record-wise this year, and have been so absurdly dominant for much of the season that expectations are completely inverted. When they win, it's what was supposed to happen, even if it's a massive blowout against a team that won a title less than two years ago. When they lose, it's the end of the world. A catastrophe. Indicative of everything wrong with the team and the problems we've seen in the past. "You think Michael Jordan settles for that? LeBron settles for that?"— @ColinCowherd on Jayson Tatum's game winning shot attempt in loss to Cleveland pic.twitter.com/Eow0xbagMZ— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 6, 2024Because the past plays a role here, too. The Celtics have been good enough for long enough that they're constantly in the championship discussion. Pundits have wondered if this is the year Tatum and Brown break through over the last four seasons. Now, in Year 5, after a Finals loss and several flops against the Miami Heat, the Celtics have reached the limit of how long you can be in that discussion before the discourse moves on. There will never be more interest in whether "this is the year." If Boston pulls off a championship then the hot takes take a drastic turn towards being less dramatic. Audiences care a lot less about whether or not they can do it again. It's about whether they can do it the first time. There will still be plenty of takes given about their ability to repeat but it won't carry the same weight or garner nearly the level of engagement. Similarly, if Boston loses and does not hang a banner, then the burden of proof falls on them to prove everyone wrong. It is no longer a hot take to argue that Tatum and Brown don't have the goods. Viewers will feel we have more than enough evidence of that and the take is then lukewarm. Which means… this is it. This is the sweet spot of the take zone. Anything a pundit can say– the Celtics do have what it takes, Tatum is a Kobe wannabe, whatever– will receive vitriolic pushback and massive engagement. Because right now, anybody can be right! Tatum and Brown have shown they can win in the playoffs, but haven't won a title, but haven't played with a player like Porzingis. The Celtics are hilariously dominant and talented and everyone felt that way last year and they lost to the Heat when the three-point shot dissipated from existence. You can pick nearly any stance you want and back it up with a decent body of evidence and there is no definitive right answer, which means there is no wrong answer. In the sense of the letter of the law, that's always the case with sports takes. There's nothing stopping Bart Scott from getting on ESPN tomorrow and attempting to claim, again, that Patrick Mahomes ain't all that and the Chiefs miss the playoffs next season. You can always take a stance, no matter how outrageous, and pick some stats to back it up and maybe you'll end up right. But the general public does not care nearly as much as they do about teams in the Celtics' position. A team on the precipice of greatness. Whether or not they can reach the sacred mountaintop. Can they seize the moment? Those nebulous concepts that cannot be proven anywhere other than on the field of play (and sometimes not even that) are what captures the eyeballs nowadays. As of now, the possibilities are endless. Nothing has been proven on the court. That's what makes the Celtics such a hot button topic. But it will not always be this way. This postseason will bring answers, answers that will dim the flames of discussion. The Celtics are a big-market team with big names so they'll always be on the production team's shortlist of topics to hit when they need an engagement boost. But truly will never get better than what we've seen this season and what we'll continue to see. The hurricane will fade. Now is the time to capitalize on the take potential.
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Market: Both teams to score
Odds: 19/20 @
Looking to extend on what has become a remarkable run of form, Hull will make the trip to the Madejski when they face off against Reading on Saturday afternoon.
Starting with the hosts, managing to find what was a real boost on their travels last weekend, there is no doubt that Reading will be desperate to build off of that result. Coming from behind away at Swansea and eventually leaving the Liberty with an action-packed 3-2 win, the Royals also managed to find some breathing room at the foot of the table. Hit with a points deduction last month and now sat just a single place above the drop zone, Veljko Paunović s side will now be looking to improve on their recent issues at the Madejski. Including a 3-2 defeat against…
Thomas Tuchel was overperforming at Paris Saint-Germain this season and did not deserve to be sacked, according to his assistant Zsolt Low.
PSG finally confirmed Tuchel s dismissal on Tuesday after days of speculation, bringing an end to his two and a half year stay at the Parc des Princes.
The German coach won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles in his two full campaigns and also won the Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue and two Trophee des Champions.
Tuchel also guided PSG to a maiden Champions League final in 2019-20, where they were beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich.
But he endured a fractious relationship with sporting director Leonardo after publicly calling out the club s transfer chief over a lack of spending heading into this season.
1 Thomas Tuchel a…
Juventus and Milan played out a 0-0 draw at a sold-out Allianz Stadium in Serie A on Saturday, with both sides still seeking to secure Champions League spots for next season.
Midfielder Filip Kostic and striker Arkadiusz Milik had great chances to give Juventus the lead in the second half but Milan goalkeeper Marco Sportiello showed off his skills to keep their attempts out.
The Rossoneri finished the game without a shot on target as the contest finished goalless, leaving the sides to share the spoils.
Milan remain second in the standings on 70 points while Juventus remain third on 65, after Inter sealed the title on Monday.
A brilliant performance between the sticks from Marco Sportiello today
— AC Milan (@acmilan)
…
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana believes referee Simon Hooper and VAR were right not to award Wolves a last-gasp penalty in Monday night’s Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
United opened their league account for the season in unconvincing fashion as Raphael Varane’s header 14 minutes from time was enough to earn a 1-0 victory that was barely deserved.
Indeed, it looked like Wolves might get the chance to equalise from the penalty spot at the death when debutant Onana appeared to clatter into Sasa Kalajdzic, but the goalkeeper got away with it.
Wolves boss Gary O’Neil said Onana tried “to take the centre-forward’s head off” and claimed Premier League referees’ boss Jon Moss apologised to him for the decision after the match.
But …
FIFA s Ethics Commitee has banned former Executive Committee member and CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer from all football-related activity for life.
It was revealed in June that the American was among those to accept and facilitate bribes as part of the bidding processes for the France 1998 and South Africa 2010 World Cups.
Blazer pleaded guilty to 10 counts, including racketeering conspiracy and tax evasion in November 2013 and as part of his plea agreed to give United States authorities information pertaining to their investigation.
A FIFA statement on Thursday explained that Blazer was now banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for life .
Mr Blazer committed many and various acts of…
Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher has no plans to reveal his goal target for the season after scoring five goals in four games.
The 12 million pounds forward led Sundrland to victory with the only strike in Saturday s 1-0 win over Wigan and is aiming to improve on last year s total of 12 league goals for Wolves.
I kind of keep that (goal target) to myself, he told the Hartlepool Mail.
The first thing is to do better than last year and if I can keep improving that will keep me happy.
I just go out and play the game the best way I can and I do not like putting that kind of pressure (of a goalscoring tally) on myself.
You need goals and I have scored them early doors.
The Scot went on to express his happiness with his start to life wit…
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Kaka is Orlando s second most-prolific goalscorer this season, while he was named MVP in this year s All-Star match against Tottenham.
Having played at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups but missing out on home soil last year, Kaka was thrilled to earn a spot in Dunga s latest squad as the 51-year-old coach looks ahead to Russia 2018.
It s a big day for me… I m back in the …
Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn says Roy Hodgson is very comfortable as England manager despite his contract expiring after Euro 2016.
Hodgson s side ensured their place at the continental competition next year with victory over San Marino at the weekend and are on course to complete qualification with a 100 per cent record.
However, Hodgson s future remains somewhat uncertain with his contract into its final year and the memory of a dismal World Cup campaign fresh in the memory.
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It has b…
Newcastle United are plotting a move for Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton, according to the Express.
The newly-promoted north east outfit are preparing for life back in the top flight after securing promotion from the Championship last month and are on the lookout for a new goalkeeper.
Crystal Palace are also interest in securing Heaton’s services, with the England international helping his side all but secure their Premier League status with ten clean sheets so far, while he has also made the most saves in the division – 136.
Since moving to Burnley from Bristol City in the summer of 2013, the thirty-one year old has racked up one hundred and seventy-one appearances in all competitions, and was part of the squad that won the Championship title twelve month…
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Middlesbrough play host to Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime in an FA Cup quarter-final clash that will decide which set of fans make a memorable trip to Wembley in April.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough are in big trouble in the Premier League after finding themselves in the relegation zone and three points from safety. They have picked up just four draws in the last nine games and their goal scoring has been a real issue after netting just twice in that time. However, their form in the FA Cup has been quite the opposite after beating three teams to get to this stage. Although they have played lower league opposition at the Riverside Stadium in all previous rounds, they have still managed to score seven goals a…