NBA Eastern Conf. Finals: Gm 2 – Celtics (0) vs Heat (1) – 7:00PM, Thur. 09/17/20

AgentGreen · Post #142 » by **AgentGreen** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 9:00 am

ConstableGeneva wrote:

“I think we’ve got to get more people involved in the offense,” Ainge noted. “I think Jaylen Brown has a lot to offer this group, and we just forgot about him and didn’t really do anything to exploit his advantages. We’ve got to continue moving the ball, we’ve got to continue to not just pound the ball so early. We’ve got to keep the foot on the gas when we have a lead, like I said it’s easy to do when you’re playing from behind.”

This... Ainge sending Brad the message to stop forcing his tactics he discussed with the players before the start of the game when they are struggling. Good coaches outcoach him most of the time after a timeout. Brad needs to adjust immediately where needed or come up with plan B when the opponent wants to counter with their plan B.

Triple7 · Post #143 » by **Triple7** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 9:49 am

AgentGreen wrote:
ConstableGeneva wrote:

“I think we’ve got to get more people involved in the offense,” Ainge noted. “I think Jaylen Brown has a lot to offer this group, and we just forgot about him and didn’t really do anything to exploit his advantages. We’ve got to continue moving the ball, we’ve got to continue to not just pound the ball so early. We’ve got to keep the foot on the gas when we have a lead, like I said it’s easy to do when you’re playing from behind.”

This... Ainge sending Brad the message to stop forcing his tactics he discussed with the players before the start of the game when they are struggling. Good coaches outcoach him most of the time after a timeout. Brad needs to adjust immediately where needed or come up with plan B when the opponent wants to counter with their plan B.

I agree with Ainge! I don’t know what Stevens was doing with our offense late in the game. It’s like wasting the shot clock and Kemba and Tatum taking turns on iso ball. I saw Smart a few times looked frustrated asking for the ball, and Jayson or Kemba just dribbling on top. Stevens even said that they pounded the ball too much. So if you know your players are pounding it too much, then do something about it Stevens!!! This is worse than having no offensive plays set up. Players not listening and doing their own thing. Let’s see what they do on game 2.

ConstableGeneva · Post #144 » by **ConstableGeneva** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 10:45 am

Same people complaining about Brad Stevens' egalitarian offense from previous years are same ones complaining about us putting the ball in our stars' hands. Same egalitarian offense Miami is running right now.

I would bet you that 80% of these complaints won't even surface had Tatum made that game-winning stepback 3 or if Kemba played to his potential all game.

Real issue was our defense, particularly running back whether we made a basket, turned the ball over, or missed a good look. We gave up 37 points in the 2nd and 35 points in the 4th. That's not indicative of a top defensive team in the league. We relaxed on that end and it bit us in the ass. If we want a shootout against a team that has at least 6 guys who can score 20 any given night, we will lose. Clean up our defense and limit them to under 100 pts.

itrsteve · Post #145 » by **itrsteve** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 12:41 pm

ConstableGeneva wrote:Same people complaining about Brad Stevens' egalitarian offense from previous years are same ones complaining about us putting the ball in our stars' hands. Same egalitarian offense Miami is running right now.

^ when you're right, you're right.

IMO, I didn't hate Tatum's shot at the end of regulation.

celticfan42487 · Post #146 » by **celticfan42487** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 1:03 pm

AgentGreen wrote:
ConstableGeneva wrote:

“I think we’ve got to get more people involved in the offense,” Ainge noted. “I think Jaylen Brown has a lot to offer this group, and we just forgot about him and didn’t really do anything to exploit his advantages. We’ve got to continue moving the ball, we’ve got to continue to not just pound the ball so early. We’ve got to keep the foot on the gas when we have a lead, like I said it’s easy to do when you’re playing from behind.”

This... Ainge sending Brad the message to stop forcing his tactics he discussed with the players before the start of the game when they are struggling. Good coaches outcoach him most of the time after a timeout. Brad needs to adjust immediately where needed or come up with plan B when the opponent wants to counter with their plan B.

Honestly I think it's Ainge sending THE PLAYERS a message (if they are bothering to listen)

We've seen Stevens offense for years get the most from the least amount of talent because he plays ball movement 3 point shooting and the rest of the league has been a little slow to catch up to modern basketball.

But I think what we're seeing right now is a combination of Walker having a knee that will need surgery (speculation on my part) for the 4th or 5th time in his career before he returns to form... and what happens when you have young 20 somethings that are breaking out and getting full of themselves.

It took guys like Pierce and Ray Allen years to figure out that even if they have an advantage they need to still pass the ball because over 48 minutes that leads to a win. And not seek out ISO ball.

We haven't even been doing it THAT badly. But we fell into it a lot last game.

To be fair it's because we have way too many Defense and No 3point offense guys in the rotation with what's left for this bench. Semi, TimeLord, Grant Williams, Theis.

And while they can hit a 3, Brad went 0-1 last game and Kemba went 1-9.

Stevens just needs to be given more than 1 type of player to play with coming off the bench. And I guarantee through either internal growth or through the 6 picks in the draft he'll have more options off the bench next season.

ConstableGeneva · Post #147 » by **ConstableGeneva** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 1:08 pm

Read on Twitter

Officials tonight: James Capers, David Guthrie, Tony Brown

RondoToKG · Post #148 » by **RondoToKG** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 1:18 pm

We absolutely must lay a smack down on these fools. I demand nothing less.

We can easily beat this team, but we keep falling into the trap of jacking up terrible shots and pounding the ball instead of using some of the best ball movement in the league. Kemba really wanted to get something going, I get it, but he needs to give up the ball more often. It's something I've found works better for me as a player in NBA 2K and honestly, it really does translate to reality. When you know you're playing like ****, just work on getting other people looks and focus on D and shots will naturally come to you. Those iso shots will come with proper flow and rhythm. They just force things way too much.

tfribs45 · Post #149 » by **tfribs45** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 1:25 pm

can't go down 2-0 in the ECF. Going to be a tough road ahead if you lose tonight. Set the tone early and often, NO WAY Crowder shoots over 40% from threes again. Dragic was am early killer as well. Get that tenacious team defense going and keep the ball moving when we have the lead. A player like IT could have helped us close game one out. Go to the rack, get fouled, make your free throws. Stop jacking up unnecessary threes with a big lead....

itrsteve · Post #150 » by **itrsteve** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 1:30 pm

tfribs45 wrote:can't go down 2-0 in the ECF. Going to be a tough road ahead if you lose tonight. Set the tone early and often, NO WAY Crowder shoots over 40% from threes again. Dragic was am early killer as well. Get that tenacious team defense going and keep the ball moving when we have the lead. A player like IT could have helped us close game one out. Go to the rack, get fouled, make your free throws. Stop jacking up unnecessary threes with a big lead....

Let's not overlook Duncan Robinson nearly being a non-factor due to foul trouble - that's not going to happen again.

Miami has weapons.

This game will tell us everything we need to know about the mental fortitude of our C's.

CeltsfanSinceBirth · Post #151 » by **CeltsfanSinceBirth** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 2:18 pm

I secured a PS5 last night, which means my winning ways will carry over to the Celtics tonight. LFG!!!

steefP2 · Post #152 » by **steefP2** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 2:42 pm

I'm encouraged that most if not all our issues from last game are not characteristic of this team. We are a high effort, low mistake, ball moving team. The fact that we didn't play hard for 48 min, made stupid mistakes on D at times and pounded the hell out of the ball to me suggest that if we play our normal game, we should be good.

ConstableGeneva · Post #153 » by **ConstableGeneva** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 2:44 pm

Walker's gonna put up 40 & 10 tonight and I'm gonna trademark the name Comeback Kemba™ soon after.

"How confident are you that that's gonna happen?"

Saint Lazarus · Post #154 » by **Saint Lazarus** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:10 pm

I just found out my college graduation ceremony got cancelled :banghead:

Celtics gotta win this for me tonight :lol:

yeahM8 · Post #155 » by **yeahM8** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:45 pm

ConstableGeneva wrote:Miami offense is so annoying to defend. You fall asleep for half a second, get caught ball-watching, make the wrong rotation, or overplay just a bit, you get burned.

Read on Twitter

We have to be sharper on defense than we displayed in game 1. They outscored us 48-26 in the paint and had 15 uncontested threes.

Read on Twitter

i love brown. you can hear the fire in his voice when just reading his quotes.

FlatearthZorro · Post #156 » by **FlatearthZorro** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:46 pm

Saint Lazarus wrote:I just found out my college graduation ceremony got cancelled

Celtics gotta win this for me tonight

What, where's the disguise? 8-)

exculpatory · Post #157 » by **exculpatory** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:46 pm

celticfan42487 wrote:
1. But I think what we're seeing right now is Walker having a knee that will need surgery (speculation on my part) for the 4th or 5th time in his career before he returns to form.

2. It took guys like Pierce years to figure out that even if they have an advantage, they need to still pass the ball because over 48 minutes that leads to a win. And not seek out ISO ball.

1. I have been posting this constantly for weeks!

2. Not so. Even when Truth was being excessively critiqued for too much ISO (pre KG especially), he ALWAYS was appropriately unselfish & made many game winning or clutch assists as well. I gotta go & dig out the display that demonstrated that he led the league between ~2000 - 2010 in the SUM of game winning or clutch time (less than 2 or 5 minutes left in a very close game) MAKES, FTs & ASSISTS!

celticfan42487 · Post #158 » by **celticfan42487** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:50 pm

exculpatory wrote:
celticfan42487 wrote:
1. But I think what we're seeing right now is a combination of Walker having a knee that will need surgery (speculation on my part) for the 4th or 5th time in his career before he returns to form.

2. It took guys like Pierce years to figure out that even if they have an advantage they need to still pass the ball because over 48 minutes that leads to a win. And not seek out ISO ball.

1. I have been posting this constantly for weeks!

2. Not so. Even when Truth was being excessively critiqued for too much ISO (pre KG especially), he ALWAYS was appropriately unselfish & made many game winning or clutch assists as well. I gotta go & dig out the display that demonstrated that he led the league between ~2000 - 2010 in the SUM of game winning or clutch time (less than 2 or 5 minutes left in a very close game) MAKES, FTs & ASSISTS!

Both of those things are true.

Pierce was one of the most clutch players and you don't need to dig that out because I remember it very well and it's my #1 argument why Pierce would have been a better player than Kobe in Kobe's position (because of personality and ability to pass the ball in the clutch to his MVP team mate. Kobe is a better #1 overall but I think he **** sucks at that too and just got really lucky to force his way to the Lakers like an absolute piece of ****)

But I meant more in the flow of the game as well. Pierce took many tough shots but I don't think a young Pierce would have passed it for all 48 mintues with Allen and KG DESPITE having a celar matchup advantage during quarters 1-3 like he did if he didn't go through the pains of being the #1 and doing as good as he could and still not having it be enough to will a team to the Finals.

exculpatory · Post #159 » by **exculpatory** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:51 pm

http://www.nba.com/article/2020/09/17/celtics-heat-game-2-3-things-watch

Interesting & mostly accurate IMO.

celticfan42487 · Post #160 » by **celticfan42487** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:54 pm

steefP2 wrote:I'm encouraged that most if not all our issues from last game are not characteristic of this team. We are a high effort, low mistake, ball moving team. The fact that we didn't play hard for 48 min, made stupid mistakes on D at times and pounded the hell out of the ball to me suggest that if we play our normal game, we should be good.

To be honest, I'm not nearly as mad as anytime we lost the Raptors.

Maybe because we're not losing to midgits and I don't feel like we played horribly on offense and because Tatum had a stud pre winning time performance.

That and maybe because we're in the ECF and imo without Hayward is 100% an overachievement.

Or maybe because I just like the stars and role players on the Heat so much more.

Losing to Jimmy Butler? Seems legit.

Losing to Kyle Flopper... I respect him but don't want to lose to him. Especially if we can't score on a 6'1" guy who can't jump.

I still resent how much Brown and Tatum weren't able to just turn around the drain the J in the in face in ISO. They can't jump and they're like 6 inches shorter than you. They should have been "too little"

But with Bam and Butler... I can respect losing to them. That and the collection of perhaps the most talented 3 point shooters from 1-12 in the league (outside of a healthy Warriors team). Just makes sense. Feel respectable.

I still say every game is a 50/50 shot for both teams to win.