The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz crew debates if “the Celtics are who the Heat thought they were,” detailing what has gone wrong with Miami in recent seasons and outlining why Boston is such a dominant organization.<\/p>\n
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Video Transcript<\/p>\n
The Celtics are who the Heat thought they were, and everyone else in that conference has gotten better.<\/p>\n
The Celtics are who the Heat thought they were, and everyone else in that conference has gotten better.<\/p>\n
No, they’re not.<\/p>\n
No, they’re not.<\/p>\n
Incorrect statement.<\/p>\n
Incorrect statement.<\/p>\n
Celtics had a, not one, but two perennial All-NBA guys.<\/p>\n
Celtics had a, not one, but two perennial All-NBA guys.<\/p>\n
Top five picks.<\/p>\n
Top five picks.<\/p>\n
two, two top five picks.<\/p>\n
two, two top five picks.<\/p>\n
But the C- Top three picks the Celtics and Heat were even at the top of the conference, and whatever the growth has been since then has been the Boston front office leaving the Heat behind.<\/p>\n
But the C- Top three picks the Celtics and Heat were even at the top of the conference, and whatever the growth has been since then has been the Boston front office leaving the Heat behind.<\/p>\n
There is no growth.<\/p>\n
There is no growth.<\/p>\n
No.<\/p>\n
No.<\/p>\n
No, no, no.<\/p>\n
No, no, no.<\/p>\n
No, it’s No, no.<\/p>\n
No, it’s No, no.<\/p>\n
No, you’re not going to put false, kind of, statements as fact.<\/p>\n
No, you’re not going to put false, kind of, statements as fact.<\/p>\n
They started with two top three picks who are All-NBA players.<\/p>\n
They started with two top three picks who are All-NBA players.<\/p>\n
Whatever the equality was with at the height of Bam blocking, Jayson Tatum or whatever kind of poetry or prose you wanna use, it was still this team has talent, this team is scrappy guys who are just fighting to get there.<\/p>\n
Whatever the equality was with at the height of Bam blocking, Jayson Tatum or whatever kind of poetry or prose you wanna use, it was still this team has talent, this team is scrappy guys who are just fighting to get there.<\/p>\n
And so you can’t say, “Oh, the front office have made all…” They started at on third base and made it to home.<\/p>\n
And so you can’t say, “Oh, the front office have made all…” They started at on third base and made it to home.<\/p>\n
You’re starting at, at home and trying to make it to second.<\/p>\n
You’re starting at, at home and trying to make it to second.<\/p>\n
Not only that, you have the top three picks that end up panning out into All-NBA players.<\/p>\n
Not only that, you have the top three picks that end up panning out into All-NBA players.<\/p>\n
Yes.<\/p>\n
Yes.<\/p>\n
But then you have the development that is happening here in Miami.<\/p>\n
But then you have the development that is happening here in Miami.<\/p>\n
You had that same- Mm-hmm development over there in Boston with guys like Derrick White, who couldn’t shoot- Yep is now a three-point assassin.<\/p>\n
You had that same- Mm-hmm development over there in Boston with guys like Derrick White, who couldn’t shoot- Yep is now a three-point assassin.<\/p>\n
With guys like Payton Pritchard- Pritchard who was not, was not going to be- Unplayable in the league.<\/p>\n
With guys like Payton Pritchard- Pritchard who was not, was not going to be- Unplayable in the league.<\/p>\n
Right.<\/p>\n
Right.<\/p>\n
Unplayable.<\/p>\n
Unplayable.<\/p>\n
And now he leads the league in points per game in iso.<\/p>\n
And now he leads the league in points per game in iso.<\/p>\n
No, and, and no, and they, and they trade for Jrue Holiday and Porziis, and then get rid of them, and all of the pieces now fit around their two pieces.<\/p>\n
No, and, and no, and they, and they trade for Jrue Holiday and Porziis, and then get rid of them, and all of the pieces now fit around their two pieces.<\/p>\n
Like, that They’ve made it so that they’re at the top of the conference and can dominate it for a while, ’cause those they’ve got those- But the, the- two guys under contract exactly.<\/p>\n
Like, that They’ve made it so that they’re at the top of the conference and can dominate it for a while, ’cause those they’ve got those- But the, the- two guys under contract exactly.<\/p>\n
Right.<\/p>\n
Right.<\/p>\n
That’s the starting point.<\/p>\n
That’s the starting point.<\/p>\n
The awareness of the franchise to know that they weren’t good enough, and they made moves.<\/p>\n
The awareness of the franchise to know that they weren’t good enough, and they made moves.<\/p>\n
They had to.<\/p>\n
They had to.<\/p>\n
And Miami got swept up in making the finals, while immediately after the finals, we also argued they seem totally maxed out.<\/p>\n
And Miami got swept up in making the finals, while immediately after the finals, we also argued they seem totally maxed out.<\/p>\n
They’re, they’re not good enough.<\/p>\n
They’re, they’re not good enough.<\/p>\n
They have to do something.<\/p>\n
They have to do something.<\/p>\n
They stood pat year after year.<\/p>\n
They stood pat year after year.<\/p>\n
And now, like, hopefully we’re, we’re just doing the same thing again, where we’re wishing that, you know, the old Pat Riley shows up and he, he gets the whale.<\/p>\n
And now, like, hopefully we’re, we’re just doing the same thing again, where we’re wishing that, you know, the old Pat Riley shows up and he, he gets the whale.<\/p>\n
What I’m arguing is And they’ve shown this in the past.<\/p>\n
What I’m arguing is And they’ve shown this in the past.<\/p>\n
They’ve realized that they weren’t good enough.<\/p>\n
They’ve realized that they weren’t good enough.<\/p>\n
They remain competitive.<\/p>\n
They remain competitive.<\/p>\n
They did this with the Jermaine O’Neal team, where they increased their flexibility to be able to chase those whales.<\/p>\n
They did this with the Jermaine O’Neal team, where they increased their flexibility to be able to chase those whales.<\/p>\n
And all I’m asking is if we weren’t gonna add a star, why not add assets?<\/p>\n
And all I’m asking is if we weren’t gonna add a star, why not add assets?<\/p>\n
And I think that’s a question that should be asked when you’re holding this franchise accountable.<\/p>\n
And I think that’s a question that should be asked when you’re holding this franchise accountable.<\/p>\n
Two parts here.<\/p>\n
Two parts here.<\/p>\n
The, the one- Oh, my God that responds- Sampson is gonna He’s gonna lose his mind.<\/p>\n
The, the one- Oh, my God that responds- Sampson is gonna He’s gonna lose his mind.<\/p>\n
Two parts.<\/p>\n
Two parts.<\/p>\n
The one thing that is, a point in Mike’s favor and, and becomes a part of it is, like, are you adding assets?<\/p>\n
The one thing that is, a point in Mike’s favor and, and becomes a part of it is, like, are you adding assets?<\/p>\n
I think the Heat’s view here would be the flexibility that they maintained this summer may have been more valuable than trading those pieces for second round picks and salary filler.<\/p>\n
I think the Heat’s view here would be the flexibility that they maintained this summer may have been more valuable than trading those pieces for second round picks and salary filler.<\/p>\n
We’ll see what happens, because they’re trying to acquire that talent we’re talking about.<\/p>\n
We’ll see what happens, because they’re trying to acquire that talent we’re talking about.<\/p>\n
That’s part one.<\/p>\n
That’s part one.<\/p>\n
But when it comes to the second part, I, I spoke with Eric Spoelstra yesterday about this exact thing, where the Celtics and the Heat stand.<\/p>\n
But when it comes to the second part, I, I spoke with Eric Spoelstra yesterday about this exact thing, where the Celtics and the Heat stand.<\/p>\n
And when it comes to that rivalry, like, you guys might have a first round series if the Heat are one of the seven or eight seeds and end up as the seven.<\/p>\n
And when it comes to that rivalry, like, you guys might have a first round series if the Heat are one of the seven or eight seeds and end up as the seven.<\/p>\n
And he was like, “Look, they, they look at us right now like exactly what we are, and they should, because we are not to the caliber of team that they have been.”<\/p>\n
And he was like, “Look, they, they look at us right now like exactly what we are, and they should, because we are not to the caliber of team that they have been.”<\/p>\n
And that talent disparity is obvious, and it was on display yesterday in that first quarter.<\/p>\n
And that talent disparity is obvious, and it was on display yesterday in that first quarter.<\/p>\n
Guys, the Celtics have clinched a playoff spot now for 12 consecutive seasons.<\/p>\n
Guys, the Celtics have clinched a playoff spot now for 12 consecutive seasons.<\/p>\n
They’ve reached the playoffs 18 of the last 19 years and 22 of the last 25. in the last quarter century, no team has played or more, won more playoff t- games than Boston.<\/p>\n
They’ve reached the playoffs 18 of the last 19 years and 22 of the last 25. in the last quarter century, no team has played or more, won more playoff t- games than Boston.<\/p>\n
And since the Derrick White tip, get That, that All of that stuff, the Celtics have rung circles around the Heat, and what you saw last night is evidence of why the Heat thing has now colla-<\/p>\n
And since the Derrick White tip, get That, that All of that stuff, the Celtics have rung circles around the Heat, and what you saw last night is evidence of why the Heat thing has now colla-<\/p>\n