C's @ Indy, Sat 7pm

[Joebiscuit]

"I refuse to accept that it is "old legs" at this point."

LOL you can believe what you want. This is the second game in a row they played a young team. They were out rebounded last night and tonight they gave up 27 fast break points tonight. The pacers got whatever shot they wanted and proceeded to shoot over 50% because the Celtics could not stick with them.

What I see now is the 1991 celtics. A team that can still be good but is an older team on it's last legs. Ainge needs to get younger ASAP and I would seriously consider starting the rebuilding process. I would see what KG or Allen can get you.

[bendyone]

"I refuse to accept that it is "old legs" at this point."

LOL you can believe what you want. This is the second game in a row they played a young team. They were out rebounded last night and tonight they gave up 27 fast break points tonight. The pacers got whatever shot they wanted and proceeded to shoot over 50% because the Celtics could not stick with them.

What I see now is the 1991 celtics. A team that can still be good but is an older team on it's last legs. Ainge needs to get younger ASAP and I would seriously consider starting the rebuilding process. I would see what KG or Allen can get you.

I dont wanna agree with u...but I kinda do.....we are slow and lack intensity....no tthe KG weird feriocious stuff...but the team stuff....the kind that dont let teams in.....we are a lil lazy and we lack legs....hate to say it...but I feel its the truth....we should be in the post more, getting teams in fowl trouble, but instead we chuck 3's....

I dont agree with the trade KG and RA....emotionally....realistically....we need legs, funnily I reckon TA could help out, we need another guy who can recklessly go to the hoop. PP is settling on lil jumpers, RA is doing his thing and I's sick of watching KG hoist up deep 2's....especially when we have not rebounders there cause he is out on the wing....KG!!! Take ur guy of the dribble at least once a game FCS!!!!!!

[Kefa461]

As in every normal season this is just a normal bump.......some folks have just gotten used to never having to adjust.....this team has to adjust too and it will.

[exculpatory]

There are 2 themes floating through this thread. Let's address them one at a time.

Team issues:

We are a "weak" 8-3 team at the moment - a team that has lost 3 of our last 6 games (2 to very good teams) and a team that struggled to beat 2 lousy teams ('Sota and Nets). Adjustments are in order for sure. We have lacked hustle, consistent intensity, solid team D, aggressiveness. We are shooting too many 3s, and settling for too many Js in general. These are fixable things, and they WILL be fixed.

BTW, our resident pathologically pessimistic and negative poster recommends blowing the team up now and trading KG and/or Ray. LOL. Remember, this is the home-grown troll 1) who was wrong about 100 times prematurely predicting losses at half time, before games, and during playoff series during the last 2 years; 2) who went into self-imposed exile after losing bets on games during the playoffs during the last 2 years; and 3) who actually predicted we would go from 27-4 to 0.500 last year after KG went down (excuse me, Biscuit brain, gee whiz, is 62-20 = 0.500?). BTW, notice he never says "we" when
referring to our team as most of us do. Also, he always shows up during losses and rarely appears during wins - it appears that he gets off when we lose. Ignore him.

Truth issue:

Relax, I am not going into my usual extended Truth rant. Too busy, too tired. Our gutsy future HOFER Super Star who has won countless games for us with his "clutchness" has played like an All Pro for 6 of our 11 games so far this season, pretty well in 2 games, and underperformed in 3 games. Except for a few of us, he is underpraised when he is vintage Paul and immediately hypercriticized when he plays below his usual standard of excellence. Last night, in spite of carrying the team with 10 points at the end of the game when the rest of the team disappeared, he missed 3 FTs and his D on a punk like Donte Jones sucked because he was playing in pain on 1 goddam leg. And what happens, even one of
his "fans" calls him a "choker". Unfrigging believable, but not surprising. He has always been underappreciated. He is an All Time Celtic legend, but he is human also. He cannot take over every goddam game at crunch time and win it for us - especially when he is playing hurt.

The team will evolve and adjust, and we will play the Fakers in the Finals!

Go green forever!

Ex

P.S. There will be several posts by Biscuit brain that we will be slaughtered by the Tragic next Friday. After we win that game, he will be nowhere to be found.

[Joebiscuit]

exculpatory this team is going to struggle all year against young athletic teams. Deny it if you want but our best players are old. While the score may not show it they were manhandled by the Hawks and Pacers; This is a cause for concern. Friday they were slammed on the boards and last night they gave up 27 fast break points and the pacers got whatever shot they wanted. I also want to add that beside the bobcats game this team has struggled in every back to back game. KG, Allen and PP are not going to wake up tomorrow and be 5 year younger. I know that Kefa is going to come on and say that they struggled against the wizards in 08; that was 2 years ago. That team was younger and that was before KG surgery.

The Celtics held on to the original big 3 way too long and the team ended up worse in the end for it. (yes I know that Reggie Lewis died before someone brings that up) There is no cure for this issue unless Ainge gets younger. Like I said I would look into trading KG or Allen.

[exculpatory]

So sorry, Joey. The Board tells me that you posted, but I cannot read it and will not read it because I have put you on "foe/ignore".

As you may recall, I tried very very hard last year to explain to you that if you posted rationally and in a balanced way, I would be more than pleased to engage you - because, on occasion, you DO make valid points! However, you have no credibility with me because 99% of your posts are pathologically negative and irrational.

If you change your ways, I will reengage you. In fact, if you want to chat privately "off board", you can IM me any time at AOL or Yahoo messenger. One of my screen names at both places is "atorvastat" (derived from atorvastatin = lipitor), a drug I like which lowers LDL cholesterol. See, I am trying to meet you "half-way" even now!

BTW, you may see me in TV in Feb 2010. I cannot reveal the details now because of ethical and legal/proprietary reasons, but I can tell you that I am going to give a public presentation at that time about a very special new endocrine drug (which will make the news on TV). Unfortunately, it also is consuming 10 hours a day of my life these days which is why I am so damned stressed and tired these days.

Think about it, Joey. We can still turn a bad relationship into something, good.

Best

Ex

P.S. My scrabble screen is "insipid" at http://www.isc.ro if that interests you.

[beantownski]

CAN WE PLEASE START PLAYING DEFENSE!?! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WHOLE '85 BEARS DOMINATE DEFENSE?!?

[Lewis35]

Well this sucks. Like exculpatory we have a very weak 8-3 record right now. We have no idea team which team will show up. The team kills the Jazz or the teams that struggles against athletic teams. Toward the end of both games (Hawks and Pacers) in my mind neither were in any danger of losing. Hawks and Pacers were in complete control toward the end.

I am not sure what to think. The Celtics look like an old team at times. Their defense has just been bad the past two games and they struggled rebounding, getting back on defense and stopping the other team from scoring. Bottom line is that it is never a good sign when player like Dahntay Jones is someone the Celtics cannot stop from scoring.

Right now out of the "contenders" the Celtics look like the weaker of the bunch. Lakers will get Gasol back soon and Magic will get Lewis back soon as well which will only make them that much better and the Cavs have Lebron.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Man, ya'll are harsh on your team considering your 8-3. I would love for the Pacers to make it to 8-3.

I think a lot of ya'll are panicing because you lost to a hurt Pacers team, but in reality, the Pacers have been playing the best basketball I've seen from them since the brawl. I don't know what changed, but over the last 4 teams we have looked like a good team - the 3 wins before were all against bad teams, but we looked like a good team beating them. Last year we'd lose to bad teams. When the Pacers offense is clicking, it is very hard to beat us because on top of that, most of our players are going to hustle every second they are on the court. When a team is hitting their shots and giving 110% the whole game, its going to be a tough one to win.

Good luck to ya'll this season, can't wait for the next one.

PS - Did ya'll change announcers? I remember ya'll used to have the biggest homer announcers I have ever heard in my life. They'd bash the other team the entire game and new nothing about anyone on the opposing team, but they seemed fairly decent tonight.

[Celtics_Champs]

Man, ya'll are harsh on your team considering your 8-3. I would love for the Pacers to make it to 8-3.

Some are harsh, not all fans.

Good luck to ya'll this season, can't wait for the next one.

Thank you. You too. And same, I always like playing the pacers. Granger has grown to be a favorite of mine who isn't a celtic. It started when I went to a C's game last year against Indy.

PS - Did ya'll change announcers? I remember ya'll used to have the biggest homer announcers I have ever heard in my life. They'd bash the other team the entire game and new nothing about anyone on the opposing team, but they seemed fairly decent tonight.

No, the announcers are the same. Mike and Tommy. Sometimes Donny Marshall fills in for Tommy.

[PP 4 Three]

So according to exculpatory if Paul has a bad game I can't criticize him for that specific game because of what he's done throughout his career? Whatever.

[exculpatory]

PP 4 3

If you read my last couple of post from this morning carefully, that is NOT what I said at all. I did not use the ridiculous word "choker", but I actually criticized him more than you did, i.e. his poor D on D. Jones (because of his bad knee as he acknowledged in today's Herald) and his lack of aggressive play during the first 3 quarters - in addition to the 3 missed FTs.

If Paul plays below his usual excellent standard, you obviously have the right to state your opinion. IMO, however, you should provide context like I did in my own criticism of him last night. Instead of just throwing out the ridiculous term "choker" because he missed 3 FTs, you could have pointed out that he was playing hurt with a sprained knee, that he carried the team with 10 points in 4 minutes at the end of the game (albeit too little too late), etc. I am certainly an unabashed Pierce homer, but if you read my posts carefully, I do indeed criticize him when it is warranted - but in a balanced way.

Peace

[return2glory]

Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers cost us this game. Pierce was playing hurt and couldn't play denfense. He admitted it after the game, but it was obvious. D. Jones had a career night against Pierce. Jones had 25 points and went to the line 15 times. 15!! Jones is a guy that has problems scoring 8 points a game.

Doc knew Pierce was hurt. Doc saw Pierce was hurting and killing us on the defense end. Doc made no adjustments. KG on Granger? Are you kidding me??

This was a game that Daniels should have played 35 minutes and been on Granger. This was a game that Jiddens should have played 15-20 minutes and played on Jones. Giddens can play defense and rebound, Jones would have been a non factor as usual. This was a game that Pierce should have sat out or atleast sat out after the 1st quarter.

[exculpatory]

RTG

I actually agree with you with one exception. Doc should have used the Truth in spurts for offense - maybe 5 minutes a quarter for the first 3 quarters and then the closing 6 minutes. Paul is a gamer and insisted on playing in spite of his sprained knee, and Doc did not have the balls to severely limit his minutes when it became obvious from the gitgo that he could not play his usual excellent D - even on a scrub like D. Jones.

Ironically, do you remember how Paul got hurt against the Hawks? He was fouled at least 3 times on his way to the hoop, and the frigging incompetent ref did not even give him the call. This event occurred when we were on a roll in the third quarter, and as badly as we played against the Hawks, if Paul gets that call, we very likely would have continued our "roll", and built enough of a lead to hold on and win the game.

Ex