Danny Ainge: "Making the playoffs is not a goal"

Danny Ainge is having a good old-fashioned giggle over Celtics playoff talk

Are the Celtics tanking? Are they contending? What the hell are they doing?

Well, if you ask Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, you won't find much clarity. One thing you will find out though is that they sure as hell aren't trying to make the playoffs.

BostonGlobe.com:
“I don’t know, because there’s too many variables, it’s just not that simple,” he said about the postseason. “Making the playoffs is not a goal. I need to explain that a little bit.

That's right folks. In case you haven't figured it out by now, when Danny Ainge brought in Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans, MarShon Brooks, Vitor Faverani and Kris Humphries it WASN'T for a playoff run. Surprising as that is.

Of course, this only became a topic of debate when the C's were doing surprisingly well, taking the lead of the Atlantic Division with their in your face 8-12 record (now 10-14). Actually, they haven't been doing well, they've just been doing relatively well. There are still only two teams with a winning record in the East, and winning by default doesn't count in Danny Ainge's book.

If there’s a bunch of teams that are just injured and playing and you finish five, six, or seven games under .500 and you made the playoffs just because of that, that might not be such a great thing. I’m only concerned about how our players are playing, and if it so happens we make the playoffs and we earn our way and our guys are getting better, then I’m thrilled.

“We’re not excited about being 10-14. That doesn’t bring excitement to anybody, but progress does.”

Thankfully, Celtics fans. Mr. Danny Ainge is a smart man not to get excited about being four games under .500. If the team makes it to the fourth seed with a .500 or worse record, what does that really matter? A first round playoff exit? A meaningless run to an eventual sweep by the Miami Heat or Indiana Pacers?

Brad Stevens is on board too, not once has he offered his team praise for being the least shitty of the shitty East.



You tell 'em Brad!

And, obviously, that was before they lost to the Nets and Clippers.

This isn't even about draft picks. This season is about developing the young players on the roster, that's it. Jared Sullinger will be sorely disappointed

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