Cup of Joe. 'Exec' says Hawks prefer Celtics

'Exec' says Hawks prefer Celtics in the first round

“To me, the Nets are not an 8 or a 7 seed. They’re more like a 4 or a 5.”
So if the Hawks had their choice, who among the scrambling teams trying to fill out the playoff field would they want to face?

The Nets would be no playoff pushover for the Hawks, says one NBA executive.

“Probably Boston,” the exec said. “Brooklyn has a good team, some talent on the bench in [Mason] Plumlee, [Bojan] Bogdanovic and Alan Anderson. Miami has pedigree, four-time conference champs and they still have Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers, [Udonis] Haslem, proven players. Indiana is interesting if they get in. With [Paul] George back, they could be trouble. Charlotte is hanging in but I think Boston is the team they’d want to play. Boston would be happy to be there.”

Source: Fred Kerber, NYPost

Real mixed emotions here, you guys.

On one hand, you see the point being made. While we're all Green-Teamers at heart, you get it; Brook Lopez is playing out of his mind right now, Paul George is back, and Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic are good enough to strike a little fear in the heart. The Celtics are a nice, feel good story for sure, but they don't bring that same level of intimidation as the other three teams do.

But on the other hand, howa are you going to list Mario Chalmers and Udonis Haslem like they're players to be worried about (/Billy King)!? That's like saying you're excited to see the new 'Fast & Furious' movie because you're a big Jordana Brewster fan.

Udonis Haslem hasn't averaged more than 4.5 points per game since Taio Cruz was on the radio. Mario Chalmers NBA CHAMPION Mario Chalmers had a 3 game stretch in the NBA Finals where he scored 13 points in 54+ minutes, and his job was literally 'stand in Uncle Jesse's sweet spot, and hit wide open jumpers.' These are the guys you're afraid of NBA Executive (/Billy King)?


WTHHT: What the Hell Happened To... Sly Williams?
authored by TB727

As the Celtics & Hawks continue their playoff tussle this week, I found it only appropriate this week in WTHHT to remember a former Celtic & Hawk. Imagine having had an opportunity to be on the (arguably) greatest NBA team of all time, the 1986 Celtics. Imagine being on them to start the year but blowing your chance. Imagine never recovering from that and never making it back to the NBA, period. This week in What the Hell Happened To, those imaginations are remembered as a reality for Sly Williams.

It was a rags-to-riches story for Sly Williams had been raised fatherless in the projects of New Haven, one of 16 children. Just like WTHHT predecessor Marvin Barnes, Sly was the focus of a major recruiting war between Providence College and the University of Rhode Island, even committing to both places originally. Unlike Marvin, he chose URI. When he left for the NBA after his junior year, he had set the school's season scoring record.

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