We are a JOKE!

campybatman · Post #21 » by **campybatman** » Sat May 3, 2008 7:37 am

I'm chagrined by the poor efforts defensively in the fourth quarters by the Celtics on the road. If Boston wins this first round series. Then their home court advantage saved them. See, I feel the Celtics relied too much on that home court advantage and allowed the Hawks players and their home crowd get to them early on in game three and this has in part hampered their ability to overcome this adversity. This became an emotional series and the Hawks met the intensity of Garnett head-on and matched the Celtics punch for punch at least at home.

What's ironic is: Boston was the first team during the regular season to clinch a playoffs berth and now they're the last team who remain in the first round. You've to feel somewhat embarrassed by that if you're the Celtics. Every other team will soon be beginning their second round match ups while Boston will be ending their. And they're one of the two first seeds in the playoffs. This team won't be lacking motivation from here on out.

It was brought up before the series that the biggest concern for the Celtics by fans was at head coach. Rivers has never head coached a team out of the first round as a NBA head coach. Still, the belief was that Rivers could change that with a full proof plan. That plan was to be the head coach in the playoffs of the team with the league's best defense amassing the most wins during the regular season. However, that was until the Celtics met a below .500 team that wanted to prove to Boston and those around the country that they belong in the playoffs. Atlanta might not win this series. But, they've succeeded at one thing: They've exposed Boston. Boston underestimated a young team that was able to convince themselves that they could at least win at home. The upstart Hawks made good on Dominique Wilkins' foresight that the series will go seven games.

The Celtics just have to keep playing hard because once they complete their first round series. Then they've to soon prepare for a familiar foe: LeBron James. And the Cleveland versus Boston second round series has the makings of another taxing opponent for the Celtics. Not to mention, Boston will face two former players in Szczerbiak and West. I hope Boston can rebound after this first round series and prove to the national audience that they can win on the road during the playoffs. Be that dominating defensive team again.

spf211 · Post #22 » by **spf211** » Sat May 3, 2008 11:51 am

Boston fans deserved to talk trash. They had the best record in the league going into the playoffs, the Hawks had the worst.

Doc's regular season performance made everyone forget how he'd fold tent against a playoff genius like Mike Woodson. And you know what's truly depressing?

If the Hawks manage to win Game 7 they'll get swept out in the second round, only further proving how poorly coached the Celtics were to lose to such a bad team.

Allanon · Post #23 » by **Allanon** » Sat May 3, 2008 12:22 pm

I don't think the Celtics will lose game 7 at the Garden.

But IF they do, this will be an even bigger collapse then Mavs vs Warriors last year. Might even make all time as far as 1vs8 season win differential.

Good luck Celtics, I'd like to see a Laker vs Celtic final.

campybatman · Post #24 » by **campybatman** » Sat May 3, 2008 8:59 pm

It seems like everyone wants to see a Lakers versus Celtics NBA finals. I'm probably the only person who's indifferent about it. I simply want to see Boston get there. Because whoever the opponent in that series is. Boston still must win four games no matter what.

But, I feel Detroit and San Antonio will have something to say about it. The wild cards are Orlando and New Orleans. It isn't improbable but I don't see both Los Angeles and Boston making it. Either one will and the other won't or neither will make it. Still, the TV networks are salivating over the prospect of them both advancing that far. It's all about the ratings and money.

CatNation · Post #25 » by **CatNation** » Sat May 3, 2008 11:38 pm

its the cheatriots all over agin :rofl:

Rhythm043 · Post #26 » by **Rhythm043** » Sun May 4, 2008 12:16 am

Yes a joke indeed. Even if the C's win the series it will still go down as a pathetic showing. They just showed up expecting to win the series because they won 66 games.

greenmachine_2849 · Post #27 » by **greenmachine_2849** » Sun May 4, 2008 1:24 am

spf211 wrote:Boston fans deserved to talk trash. They had the best record in the league going into the playoffs, the Hawks had the worst.

Doc's regular season performance made everyone forget how he'd fold tent against a playoff genius like Mike Woodson. And you know what's truly depressing?

If the Hawks manage to win Game 7 they'll get swept out in the second round, only further proving how poorly coached the Celtics were to lose to such a bad team.

Good to know some things never change. No matter how incompetently some of our star players perform in front of our very eyes, for some people it all boils down to bad coaching. I am not going to say that Rivers shouldn't be fired; anything short of a competitive showing in the ECFs, and SOMETHING has to be done. And the coach is always the first to go, deservedly or not. But there are just some all-star players that can't handle the pressure of playoff basketball, and we just might have a trio of them in Garnett, Pierce, and Allen (though I honestly do hope they prove me wrong tomorrow).

I also love how, in another thread, you planted the seeds for blaming any future failures of the Big Three on Doc Rivers as well (even after he's gone) by saying that Rivers' presence for their first season together is going to make it difficult for the three of them to trust and respect each others' abilities in the future. At what point, exactly, are Garnett, Pierce, and Allen going to have to shoulder some of the responsibility for the failures of the team, in your opinion?