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.
Related Posts
Pep Guardiola proclaimed Erling Haaland to be one of the best strikers in the world, though he refused to be drawn on transfer speculation linking Manchester City to the Borussia Dortmund star after the two teams were drawn together in the Champions League.
Haaland appears to be the main threat as Guardiola seeks to avoid a fourth consecutive quarter-final exit in Europe s top competition, while there will also be a reunion with ex-City youngster and England winger Jadon Sancho.
As Sergio Aguero s contract runs down and City s all-time leading goalscorer struggles for minutes, rumours linking the Premier League leaders and Haaland – whose father Alf-Inge captained City at the start of the century – have mounted.
Speaking after Friday s Champion…
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has been accused by LaLiga chief Javier Tebas of psychologically kidnapping Barcelona in recent years.
Tebas has previously criticised Barcelona for supporting a proposed Super League, which failed to get off the ground as a backlash quickly led to the withdrawal of nine of the 12 founding members.
The 59-year-old also more recently hit out at Barca and Madrid for rejecting a €2.7billion arrangement with CVC Capital Partners, a deal that he argued would have allowed the Catalan giants to keep hold of Lionel Messi.
In the latest exchange between two of the most powerful men in Spanish football, Tebas has now claimed Perez swayed Barcelona counterpart Joan Laporta s decision to not accept the offer on the table.
I h…
Only Cristiano Ronaldo s world record transfer prevented Manchester United making an annual loss of more than 30 million pounds, figures released by the English Premier League champions showed on Monday.
United declared a pre-tax profit of 48.2 million pounds (77.7 million dollars, 53.6 million euros) for the year up to June 30, 2009.
But without the departure of Portugal winger Ronaldo, sold to Spanish giants Real Madrid for 80 million pounds (129 million dollars, 90 million euros), the Old Trafford club would have been reporting a a loss of 31.8 million pounds.
The club s figure also showed they had paid 41.9 million pounds in interest on a huge loan of 509.5 million pounds.
Turnover was up to 278.5 million pounds from 256.2 million a year ago.
Nemanja Matic was a key player in Chelsea s 1-0 win at title rivals Manchester City last night
Things have not been plain sailing for Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho in his second stint at Stamford Bridge.
Earlier in the season the Blues were producing inconsistent results and questions were being asked if Mourinho was right to return to the club.
Proof
Last night’s big 1-0 victory at title rivals Manchester City yesterday proved that Mourinho is still the right man for the job at Stamford Bridge. When his team needs a big result, the Portuguese boss is adept at masterminding one.
Crucial
Last night’s game was a crucial one for the Blues in the race for the Premier League title. If Mourinho’s side would have suffered defeat they would ha…
Pep Guardiola is a genius who has been so successful because he can see things before they happen, according to Manchester City star David Silva.
Guardiola joined City in 2016 after a spell with Bayern Munich and, although his first campaign was a difficult one, his second season was anything but.
City strolled to the title last year and broke a host of records in the process, claiming the most points, goals and wins in a single season since the Premier League began in 1992.
Silva feels Guardiola has achieved success because he has the ability to predict outcomes others would not think of.
1 Pep Guardiola is the first Spanish manager to win the English top-flight title. Pioneer.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Pep Guardiola sees things before…
I have great respect for him because he s a winner. I like his mentality. He has a winning mentality. For sure, he s one of the best in the world and, here, he did a great job. I think every single fan must respect him.
There was a suggestion that Mourinho may have gotten to the former Italy coach, however.
Mourinho said last month: It looks like this season to be phenomenal defensively and good in counter attack is art. a thinly veiled dig at admirers of Conte s team.
But the Italian says sitting on the back foot is the last thing on his mind.
I have to tell you one thing, Conte said. Not only here, but I never, ever, ever train for the counter-attack. Never prepare for the counter-attack. Never.
I think the counter-attack is an option, abo…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expects an inevitable drop off in intensity from his players now the Premier League has been retained but warned them that major challenges still lie in wait.
A fifth title in six years was attained following Arsenal’s defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, which essentially gave City three ‘free’ games until the end of the domestic campaign.
They have already dispensed with Chelsea and Brighton follow on Wednesday before Brentford on the final day, but the bigger picture is the FA Cup final against Manchester United and the Champions League final against Inter Milan.
“They have the party after the (Chelsea) game. I don’t know how they feel,” said Guardiola.
“They have to be ready to run a lot. The bes…
Willian has suggested Vinicius Junior may not feel it is worthwhile to stay at Real Madrid after receiving racist abuse, saying the Brazil winger should be celebrated, not tolerated .
Vinicius was the victim of racist abuse from some Valencia supporters during Madrid s 1-0 defeat at Mestalla Stadium on Sunday.
The Brazil international was subsequently sent off – a red card that has since been rescinded – while LaLiga president Javier Tebas caused upset with his reaction to the incident.
Tebas responded to a tweet by Vinicius, writing: Before you criticise and insult LaLiga, you need to inform yourself well, Vini Jr. Don t let yourself be manipulated.
LaLiga s chief has now apologised for his comments, though Willian believes his fellow Brazilian Vini…
France international forward Loic Remy, currently on loan at Newcastle United, will consider his long-term future next summer, understands.
Remy, who joined Queens Park Rangers from French giants Olympique de Marseille in a deal worth €10 million in January, has been on scintillating form for the Magpies this season.
The former Lyon youth starlet, 26, has bagged five goals and one assist in seven Premier League appearances for Newcastle in 2013/14, playing a direct role in 6 of the Tynesiders 12 league goals.
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has already expressed his desire to ink Remy to a permanent deal, but the Frenchman is considering all options ahead of next summer.
I will look at whatever offers come in whether they be from Newcastl…
Maicon has thanked Roma for reigniting his FIFA World Cup dreams after a strong start to the season with the Serie A leaders.
The full-back returned from international exile in September after over two years away from the national team, and scored his first international goal in over three years in Friday s 5-0 win over Honduras.
Maicon struggled for regular football in a season-long stint at Manchester City last term, but his move to Roma has seen him start nine of their 12 Serie A games this campaign.
Rudi Garcia s side sit on top of the league table and the 32-year-old was quick to thank his French manager after the victory over Honduras.
I am very happy for my return to the Selecao (Brazil national team), he told A Bola.
I have to thank Roma and Felipe …