No Holiday Magic For Us! Loss vs ORL 12/23

[Bar Fight]

True.

But in this era of pro sports, injuries are really happening more often.

We've seen this before in 2009.

Celtics were trying to repeat and were 27-3 by Christmas of 2008.

We all know the season ended badly because KG was out for the whole playoffs that season.

I think right now what's more important is just to survive the regular season and be healthy when the playoffs start.

I'm not taking for granted that they're gonna flip the switch until I see more flashes of our elite defense from last year. Teams who get complacent after winning one title often don't repeat.

Bird, Parish, and McHale couldn't repeat in 1987.

KG, Pierce, and Ray couldn't do it in 2009.

So the question is, what makes you think this bunch of Celtics can do it?

KG was out for the Playoffs in 2009. The '87 Celtics were battered with injuries. Different leagues, different competition, different time. Completely irrelevant question

[Fierce1]

I'm not taking for granted that they're gonna flip the switch until I see more flashes of our elite defense from last year. Teams who get complacent after winning one title often don't repeat.

Bird, Parish, and McHale couldn't repeat in 1987.

KG, Pierce, and Ray couldn't do it in 2009.

So the question is, what makes you think this bunch of Celtics can do it?

KG was out for the Playoffs in 2009. The '87 Celtics were battered with injuries. Different leagues, different competition, different time. Completely irrelevant question

Nope!

You said it yourself, INJURIES!!!

That's the common denominator.

So maybe the Celtics are not playing so hard because they're playing the long game.

[Shak_Celts]

I tried to tell y’all in the first half that you can’t play around with the magic. I don’t care that Miami is thought to be bums, they weren’t the only team to have run into this Magic team who will fight and fight. They have an excellent record considering losing so many players, even their best player who was on an mvp candidate track early season, a long time ago. They are tough as nails.

Our defense has been carved and carved this season and no one is constantly posting what’s going on. Any other season our D would come up short and there would be post after post about weak links. I can’t believe those same people don’t know what’s going on or have the numbers to give us an idea. I see that the defense isn’t good at times, that’s been said, where is the WHY statistics? The offense has been offensing, I know we’re not bottom half in D, but I have been questioning the mehness of the D for months.

We keep playing excellent D for half of the game then we loaf. I don’t know what it is but we need to fix it. I hope it’s just us trying to get through the regular season. I hope it’s not about our hunger being stripped away.

Teams that started the season getting spanked aren’t that many losses behind us now. We need a long winning streak to keep our distance.

IIRC this is our first loss without Tatum this season, but it really doesn’t mean much since he rarely misses a game. Still, we better be able to hold it down without any of our players, even our best, that’s what good teams do. Need some more stepping up!

The bench has felt really poor after Pritchard. Even without KP last season and Al starting, after the slow start by the bench, it felt like they found themselves and never looked back. This season, we won’t make it with one good bench player, possible 2 if Sam figures his back out. It’s hard, we have little wiggle room, I don’t know what Brad can do.

Just because a player isn’t great, it doesn’t mean he can’t do exactly what is needed. Maybe Brissy (that energy), isn’t as easily replaced as people thought.

Last thing for now, can people start making memes about JB’s 3 point shooting? I need a lot of you to get it trending, maybe he’ll try to fix it. I already said Draymond had the right idea, he just needed Time to prove him right.

[NYCelticsfan136]

So your basis is the regular season and not the playoffs and finals?

How about Games 3 and 4 against Indy in the ECF?

Or Games 2 and 3 of the Finals?

Celtics lost games like this in the regular season last season.

But something like this never happened in the playoffs and finals.

Dude again what you’re saying is that they can turn it off or on anytime they want. Again that approach doesn’t work off one championship. Many people think we got an easy road last year with the matchups. You still see the lazy ball with this team. That hasn’t changed at all. They should dominated this game even without Tatum.

Guess you haven't learned from last season.

Those who doubted the Celtics from the start of the season until early April ended up in the crow party in June.

Unlike last season where Al was the only one under player management, this season the Celtics are screwing up the lineup by letting players miss games.

I don't think the whole starting 5 plus Al has more played 5 games together.

This is the Celtics playing possum because it's all about the bigger picture.

If they’re playing possum they will get a little surprise in the playoffs. Again that lazy ball with this team is still present. Their shooting percentages are down this year. You wanna see team that brings it every night. Tonight was inexcusable just a terrible L. Once again we saw that team struggles pretty much with physicality

[Fierce1]

I think it's very obvious and this has been happening the whole season.

Cs are just not as concerned about the regular season anymore.

JT could have played in this game and the team opted to not let JT play.

Guess it's all about the bigger picture.

[Bar Fight]

Bird, Parish, and McHale couldn't repeat in 1987.

KG, Pierce, and Ray couldn't do it in 2009.

So the question is, what makes you think this bunch of Celtics can do it?

KG was out for the Playoffs in 2009. The '87 Celtics were battered with injuries. Different leagues, different competition, different time. Completely irrelevant question

Nope!

You said it yourself, INJURIES!!!

That's the common denominator.

So maybe the Celtics are not playing so hard because they're playing the long game.

And that's a bull excuse lol. Not playing hard because you're afraid of getting hurt is stupid. Especially when most injuries happen on freak occurrences and are not a result of playing hard, disciplined basketball lol.

[Lee Van Cleef]

I don’t think we will be the first seed in the East. We can still reach the finals, but it won’t be like the last season.

[Fierce1]

Dude again what you’re saying is that they can turn it off or on anytime they want. Again that approach doesn’t work off one championship. Many people think we got an easy road last year with the matchups. You still see the lazy ball with this team. That hasn’t changed at all. They should dominated this game even without Tatum.

Guess you haven't learned from last season.

Those who doubted the Celtics from the start of the season until early April ended up in the crow party in June.

Unlike last season where Al was the only one under player management, this season the Celtics are screwing up the lineup by letting players miss games.

I don't think the whole starting 5 plus Al has more played 5 games together.

This is the Celtics playing possum because it's all about the bigger picture.

If they’re playing possum they will get a little surprise in the playoffs. Again that lazy ball with this team is still present. Their shooting percentages are down this year. You wanna see team that brings it every night. Tonight was inexcusable just a terrible L. Once again we saw that team struggles pretty much with physicality

I already told you the Cs shot 38.8% from 3 last season, in the regular season, and only 36.4% from 3 in the playoffs.

We want the opposite to happen this season.

Why do you think Miami made it to the finals in 2023?

Heat shot 34.4% from 3 in the regular season.
But in the playoffs, they shot 38% from 3.

We don't want their best now, we want it in April, May, and June.

Just sleepwalk in the regular season so that you will not get beat up.

[Fierce1]

KG was out for the Playoffs in 2009. The '87 Celtics were battered with injuries. Different leagues, different competition, different time. Completely irrelevant question

Nope!

You said it yourself, INJURIES!!!

That's the common denominator.

So maybe the Celtics are not playing so hard because they're playing the long game.

And that's a bull excuse lol. Not playing hard because you're afraid of getting hurt is stupid. Especially when most injuries happen on freak occurrences and are not a result of playing hard, disciplined basketball lol.

Just ask the Wagners and Banchero.

Playing hard is not a guarantee of getting hurt, but playing hard increases the chances of getting hurt because of all the pounding and hitting that comes your way.

I think it becomes a problem when the Cs are getting close to becoming a .500 team.

Otherwise, they're fine.

[Shak_Celts]

One more thing

If we’re not worried about the regular season, why are we only playing a handful of guys every game? It seems like you would be playing the “others” a lot more, if that’s what we were doing.

I’m not worried, I just don’t like losing, remember me not crying about getting worse odds, eventually the 5th pick? I WANTED THAT WIN!


Play ball to win, even it’s our stay ready guys. They don’t get many chances to prove they are ready tho.

[Bar Fight]

Nope!

You said it yourself, INJURIES!!!

That's the common denominator.

So maybe the Celtics are not playing so hard because they're playing the long game.

And that's a bull excuse lol. Not playing hard because you're afraid of getting hurt is stupid. Especially when most injuries happen on freak occurrences and are not a result of playing hard, disciplined basketball lol.

Just ask the Wagners and Banchero.

Playing hard is not a guarantee of getting hurt, but playing hard increases the chances of getting hurt because of all the pounding and hitting that comes your way.

I think it becomes a problem when the Cs are getting close to becoming a .500 team.

Otherwise, they're fine.

Excellent cope lol

[ConstableGeneva]

Our defense has been carved and carved this season and no one is constantly posting what’s going on. Any other season our D would come up short and there would be post after post about weak links. I can’t believe those same people don’t know what’s going on or have the numbers to give us an idea. I see that the defense isn’t good at times, that’s been said, where is the WHY statistics? The offense has been offensing, I know we’re not bottom half in D, but I have been questioning the mehness of the D for months.

While other fans are yelling about "too many threes", defense is mostly what I point to regarding the difference between this season and last esp whenever we lose. Also provided possible explanations for the decline in numerous posts. Too lazy to repeat.

I hate losing too. So the "coasting" or "going through the motions" excuse can only go so far.

They have my trust. I think they've earned enough of it after last season. But also last season was last season. They themselves said they gotta earn everything again this season.

For this particular game, two things stood out -- defense isn't where it should be / we're unable to sustain it for whatever reason and we still have trouble against physicality plus we gotta find an answer whenever teams take away the three-ball (how Heat won in 2023 ECF).

[Fierce1]

And that's a bull excuse lol. Not playing hard because you're afraid of getting hurt is stupid. Especially when most injuries happen on freak occurrences and are not a result of playing hard, disciplined basketball lol.

Just ask the Wagners and Banchero.

Playing hard is not a guarantee of getting hurt, but playing hard increases the chances of getting hurt because of all the pounding and hitting that comes your way.

I think it becomes a problem when the Cs are getting close to becoming a .500 team.

Otherwise, they're fine.

Excellent cope lol

Remember when there was doubt the Celtics could stop the Cavs from going 16-0?

Celts responded and gave the Cavs their first loss of the season, right?

Just a few days ago the Cs got beat by the Bulls in the Garden.
But the Cs responded in the next game by hammering the Bulls in their home court.

I believe the Cs have proven that they can flip the switch if they need to.

[return2glory]

Joe with a horrible coaching job.

Only 11 bench points. Hauser gave us nothing in 16 minutes. Al looked slow. The 2 bigs lineup was effective maybe 25% of the time.
KP was 2-10 from the field and had only 4 rebounds in 37 minutes.

Joe made no adjustments. This was a game we could have used Queta and about 5 minutes less of Al, KP and Kornet. The team needs a dog on the bench. Someone that can come in for about 15 minutes a game and be nasty and provide energy.

Orlando was being physical with us all game. Hacking away. No excuses about Tatum being out. They didn't have 3 of their top 4 players.

[NYCelticsfan136]

Guess you haven't learned from last season.

Those who doubted the Celtics from the start of the season until early April ended up in the crow party in June.

Unlike last season where Al was the only one under player management, this season the Celtics are screwing up the lineup by letting players miss games.

I don't think the whole starting 5 plus Al has more played 5 games together.

This is the Celtics playing possum because it's all about the bigger picture.

If they’re playing possum they will get a little surprise in the playoffs. Again that lazy ball with this team is still present. Their shooting percentages are down this year. You wanna see team that brings it every night. Tonight was inexcusable just a terrible L. Once again we saw that team struggles pretty much with physicality

I already told you the Cs shot 38.8% from 3 last season, in the regular season, and only 36.4% from 3 in the playoffs.

We want the opposite to happen this season.

Why do you think Miami made it to the finals in 2023?

Heat shot 34.4% from 3 in the regular season.
But in the playoffs, they shot 38% from 3.

We don't want their best now, we want it in April, May, and June.

Just sleepwalk in the regular season so that you will not get beat up.

They’re shooting .457 percent this year compared to last year’s .487. Again a lot of poor shooting performances up to this point. Believe it or not dude seeding matters. They better not fall anything less than a second seed. Cavs look much better than them right now. Still a long season but this is not the same team as last year’s team. Sometimes teams fall for this lackadaisical attitude after winning a title. Hope they’re not milwaukee or denver. I feel they’re much better shape than those teams for them not to win multiple titles.

[NYCelticsfan136]

Just ask the Wagners and Banchero.

Playing hard is not a guarantee of getting hurt, but playing hard increases the chances of getting hurt because of all the pounding and hitting that comes your way.

I think it becomes a problem when the Cs are getting close to becoming a .500 team.

Otherwise, they're fine.

Excellent cope lol

Remember when there was doubt the Celtics could stop the Cavs from going 16-0?

Celts responded and gave the Cavs their first loss of the season, right?

Just a few days ago the Cs got beat by the Bulls in the Garden.
But the Cs responded in the next game by hammering the Bulls in their home court.

I believe the Cs have proven that they can flip the switch if they need to.

Here you go witn flipping the switch stuff. Did it work for Denver or Milwaukee?

[return2glory]

All you guys asking for the Celtics to take fewer threes should be extatic tonight. Only 32 attempts.

Only 24% shooting 3 though. That's 2 times in the last 3 games were they've shot 25% or lower from 3.

32 3s isn't enough attempts for this team. Mid 40s is fine. 56 is way too much, especially when they only made 25% of them the other night.

[Fierce1]

If they’re playing possum they will get a little surprise in the playoffs. Again that lazy ball with this team is still present. Their shooting percentages are down this year. You wanna see team that brings it every night. Tonight was inexcusable just a terrible L. Once again we saw that team struggles pretty much with physicality

I already told you the Cs shot 38.8% from 3 last season, in the regular season, and only 36.4% from 3 in the playoffs.

We want the opposite to happen this season.

Why do you think Miami made it to the finals in 2023?

Heat shot 34.4% from 3 in the regular season.
But in the playoffs, they shot 38% from 3.

We don't want their best now, we want it in April, May, and June.

Just sleepwalk in the regular season so that you will not get beat up.

They’re shooting .457 percent this year compared to last year’s .487. Again a lot of poor shooting performances up to this point. Believe it or not dude seeding matters. They better not fall anything less than a second seed. Cavs look much better than them right now. Still a long season but this is not the same team as last year’s team. Sometimes teams fall for this lackadaisical attitude after winning a title. Hope they’re not milwaukee or denver. I feel they’re much better shape than those teams for them not to win multiple titles.

Last season the Cs shot 48.7% in the regular season, right?

But they shot 46.9% in the playoffs.

Another example of the team shooting better in the regular season than the playoffs.

Celts still ended up with a 16-3 postseason record, right?

One good month from the Celtics and those shooting % will go back up.

Seriously, there's still 3 and a half months to go!

[Fierce1]

Excellent cope lol

Remember when there was doubt the Celtics could stop the Cavs from going 16-0?

Celts responded and gave the Cavs their first loss of the season, right?

Just a few days ago the Cs got beat by the Bulls in the Garden.
But the Cs responded in the next game by hammering the Bulls in their home court.

I believe the Cs have proven that they can flip the switch if they need to.

Here you go witn flipping the switch stuff. Did it work for Denver or Milwaukee?

Really???

Denver lost 2 key players in free-agency.

Milwaukee was on their way to a repeat until they faced a legendary Celtic named Jayson Tatum.

It was supposed to be game over for the Celtics after Marcus Smart's blunder in Game 5 gave the Bucks a win, at the Garden, and a 3-2 series lead.

We all know what happened in Game 6 and Game 7 of that series, right?

[Fierce1]

Another thing, last season it was like the Celtics lost all the clutch games in the regular season.

That's why a lot of Celtic fans doubted the Celtics winning a championship.

But in the playoffs and finals, the Celtics won all the clutch games.

A case of the Celtics at their best at the right time?