Celtics vs Wizards Gamethread - Monday, January 14th

[Hail2theRedskin]

As a wizards fan the main problem that i see with boston is that they tire themselves out to much on Defense...this in turn makes them sloppy on Offence...i wouldn't worry about this to much because they should find there groove come playoff time.

[ParticleMan]

I agree, I was yelling for Doc to bring back Perk as soon as the Wiz closed within 7. Perk didn't show up until less than a min, on the 3pt play by Caron.

I think Doc had a fair part in blowing this game. Not that I'm absolving the players of going completely passive after they got the double didgit lead. it's like they became allergic to the lane.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I think Boston should attribute the loss to two things: rebounding and conditioning.

When the Cs were up 12, Washington went on a run. I noticed during that run that Boston's players were not getting to the rebounds and they weren't closing out on shooters. Washington had two and three guys to one on the boards. Boston seemed desperate and not competing like they did both games in the third. They faded late. Time and again they got bailed out on charges when they got beat. At the end, Butler looked way quicker than Boston's defenders.

From the outside looking in I wonder why Rivers doesn't consider resting Ray Allen a few games, and playing Pruitt some.

I think Powe is a really good rebounder who could have helped.

To me, the Celtics look like they've got tired legs. Washington beat them on the boards and just outlasted them tonight.

[darrendaye]

Ten, if you're still reading, I'm not 100% sure it's smallball that Doc wants to close games, but simply the 5 scorers.

To anyone: I'm not a Boston resident, so I don't get the postgame stuff on most nights. Did Doc accept ANY responsibility?

[Hawaii]

It was a great game, first game I've been able to watch the majority of in a while. You guys put up a hell of a fight! I wasn't paying any attention to the people I was at a bar with, and they looked at me weird when I said "watch Ray Allen and Eddie House" when they inbounded with the 8 seconds left.

I like the Celtics, but I love the Wizards, and I'm glad we've picked up both of these wins recently...Wizards=The Celtic Stoppers

Now, continue your domination of the league See you in April.

[theGreatRC]

Haywood is a very good offensive rebounder and top 5 post defender IMO. The Wizards are a good rebounding team and very aggressive.

[Rondo_Fan]

(For the record: I'm not panicking. The following statement is made solely for the purposes of discussion. I still think we are a good team and I am very pleased with how we have done this year. Any misinterpretation of my intentions is the sole responsibility of the reader.)

What I don't get is what Eddie House and even Ray Allen were doing in at the end of the game. If you go back to 4 or 5 minutes, we were leading and our job at that point was to protect the lead, of which playing defense is a significant part. When I see those guys on the court at the same time, I'm thinking, "Desperation, 3-point shooter time." But why on earth would you go into that mode of play when you are up by 10 points? We would have been better off with TA and Rondo on the floor.

[P2]

We were up by 14 with 6 minutes to go! By 14!! We're aren't nearly as good as our record tells.

[Tenbomber]

don't pretend to possess the wherewithall to judge whether that gameplan is flawed or has historically been successful. I can see the strengths and I can see the weakness, but, I don't know that where one tilts in favor of the other as a general principle. Tonight, to me, it was evident that playing Washington with their big men out there and having shown to be tough on the boards previously, I was fairly confident that the scale was not tipped in favor of the smallball closing unit against this unit.

Who's pretending?.... we all saw what happened...And as you have noticed, this happened with regularity last year....Once teams see certain tendancys, they are prepared for them....same as the Pierce ISO...

They look for it... and they are ready to stop it when the game is on the line...

Thats good coaching IMO....(no pretending)

[darrendaye]

I think Boston should attribute the loss to two things: rebounding and conditioning.

When the Cs were up 12, Washington went on a run. I noticed during that run that Boston's players were not getting to the rebounds and they weren't closing out on shooters. Time and again they got bailed out on charges when they got beat. At the end, Butler looked way quicker than Boston's defenders.

From the outside looking in I wonder why Rivers doesn't consider resting Ray Allen a few games, and playing Pruitt some.

I think Powe is a really good rebounder who could have helped.

To me, the Celtics look like they've got tired legs. Washington beat them on the boards and just outlasted them tonight.

The tired legs theory is one I try to take into account. At this stage, I have given Rivers the benefit of the doubt that he is equipped to gauge this kind of thing, but I surely don't dismiss this as a possibility too. I try to restrict my criticisms to the situation without passing judgment for its origins.

[Celts17Pride]

Haywood is a very good offensive rebounder and top 5 post defender IMO. The Wizards are a good rebounding team and very aggressive.

Haywood is an even better offensive rebounder with James Posey guarding him.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

(For the record: I'm not panicking. The following statement is made solely for the purposes of discussion. I still think we are a good team and I am very pleased with how we have done this year. Any misinterpretation of my intentions is the sole responsibility of the reader.)

What I don't get is what Eddie House and even Ray Allen were doing in at the end of the game. If you go back to 4 or 5 minutes, we were leading and our job at that point was to protect the lead, of which playing defense is a significant part. When I see those guys on the court at the same time, I'm thinking, "Desperation, 3-point shooter time." But why on earth would you go into that mode of play when you are up by 10 points? We would have been better off with TA and Rondo on the floor.

Agreed.

I think you might have been much better off just keeping the ball in Pierce's hands tonight as well.

[SpaceJam]

The Wizards' jerseys are OK, but when combined with the black shorts they become the worst uni of the whole league, hands down.

They are the best actually.

[darrendaye]

-= original quote snipped =-



Who's petending?.... we all saw what happened...And as you have noticed, this happened with regularity last year....Once teams see certain tendancys, they are prepared for them....same as the Pierce ISO...

They look for it... and they are ready to stop it when the game is on the line...

Thats good coaching IMO....(no pretending)

I'm not trying to absolve Rivers. The thing that always gets me about the media when I read or listen to interviews with Rivers is, I don't believe that they ever question his motivations for strategies he employs. Maybe they do and he's evasive and the replies don't show up in print or in soundbites. So, I don't know what drives his thinking. Yes, any time you are predictable, you expose yourself to being more defensible.

[GA2CHAMPS]

pathetic, we lose to a poor below average team again, back to back, and at home. No excuses, we did this. Last game i had issues, we lost this game all on our own.

I"d be interested to hear what a below average team is - the celtics before this year? OK, i guess 20-16, with losing your first five in an average team. Maybe the wiz are closer to your level then you think?

[Tenbomber]

I'm not trying to absolve Rivers. The thing that always gets me about the media when I read or listen to interviews with Rivers is, I don't believe that they ever question his motivations for strategies he employs. Maybe they do and he's evasive and the replies don't show up in print or in soundbites. So, I don't know what drives his thinking. Yes, any time you are predictable, you expose yourself to being more defensible.

Well we are still 30-6... it could be worse I guess?

But theres a little bit of doubt that arises when some old gremlins (like what happened tonight) start to creep into the picture...

Old tendency's seem to die hard...(to be fair) guess thats true of criticism too?

[darrendaye]

-= original quote snipped =-



Well we are still 30-6... it could be worse I guess?

But theres a little bit of doubt that arises when some old gremlins (like what happened tonight) start to creep into the picture...

Old tendency's seem to die hard...(to be fair) guess thats true of criticism too?

All points I can agree with.

[GreenGrizz]

Doc Rivers = Terry Francona?

[Donkey McDonkerton]

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Please don't take him as a representative of the Wizards board.

I second this, JI is the worst wizards poster there is...I have had him blocked for months.

[SuperDeluxe]

Is yungal07 representative of the Wizards board?