NOT SO HOT NOW, ARE YA?! ECF Game 6 Victory Cigar vs MIA 5/27 (Series tied 3-3!)

[FlatearthZorro]

Joe gets a bit of credit here. JB hit some key shots and FTs in the 4th. We needed every point. But got to be careful with his fouls in G7.

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Speaking of credit - isn’t getting better as a series goes on, making adjustments, and comebacks (or collapses), usually considered indications of coaching ability???

Asking for a friend.

Honestly, Joe has been doing good. I don't know how, but I have a feeling Brad is in his ear.

[bisme37]

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[bisme37]

[Red2]

The 2 minute report should be interesting. Butler and the Heat got a ton of calls while on the other end we got none. Yes, Horford stupidly fouled him on the 3 / no argument there. But the and 1 where horford never touched him and the call on tatum were both bad. Butler clearly fouled Marcus after he got a defensive rebound and Tatum
Was fouled on at least one if not both of his drives. Thankfully we won the game but refs seem detetmined to put butler on the line every time

[Hal14]

man, basketball is so crazy. to be THAT close to having your season ended. And then win it on a buzzer beater.

Wow.

Amazing.

Would have been such a heartbreaking way for our season to end. Being up by 13 in the 3rd quarter, up by 10 in the 4th quarter. to lose would have been horrible, especially if we had lost with that dumb foul by al where butler was falling away from the hoop, did not have a good look at the basket, was about to take a desperation heave, so really dumb foul there.

And that type of play is so unlike Al. He is known for always making the right play, the smart play, very high IQ player. Did seem like maybe Butler jumped into him a little bit, but if you're al, you can't even be that close to him where the ref could possibly call the foul.

and then to have the refs switch it, so butler gets 3 FT's instead of 2 was a tough break, too.

man, if that's how our season ended, it would have been such a heartbreaker.

and it looked like it was over when smart bricked the jumper, and even when white tipped it in, the announcers were saying he didn't get the shot off in time, so i'm thinking we're all done.

but then it turned out white just BARELY tipped it in in time! and once they said that the refs call on the floor was a basket and they stayed with that call, holy sh&t. it went from heartbreak/disappointment to relief/joy in a split second.

wow.

Derrick White man. what a play. great trade by Brad bringing him here. And when you look at that play (and some of the other BIG plays he's made in the clutch, had a couple games in reg season where he hit a HUGE shot late in the game to help us win it) this guy should be in the game during crunch time every time from now on.

One of the craziest games I've ever seen in my life - wow. Still can't believe it.

I think we all aged like 5 years from watching that game lol.

Basketball is the best sport - no question.

[Hal14]

2 things I'm seeing here.

1) what the hell is Martin doing to Tatum? Should be a foul on Martin for undercutting him like that. A dude is airborne - you can't go under him like that and make contact with him - could even be a flagrant foul, on top of the made basket by White. Not that it mattered, though - the basket by White counts so game is over

2) Strus almost blocks the shot from behind. But was just a little bit slow getting there.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Smart was the only guy on the court (DWhite inbounded) who hit a 3 all game. The other 3 starters were ‘0-for’ from 3 for the game. It was too tough a shot to be sure - but Smart made a great shot and it almost went down.

Wait what? You are claiming a Marcus Smart 3 point shot when you are down 1 is a good shot? Umm yeah. I respectfully disagree.

He's quadrupled down on it in fact.

It was pathetic and it would of been his last shot as a Celtic and a microcosm of his career here had White not saved the day.

Correct

[Fencer reregistered]

Not the Cs' intended play.

The Heat blew up the intended play, at the cost of being weak on the offensive glass.

Yep, they took away the first two options on the inbound pass (Tatum & Brown). Freed up White for the run towards the rim.

We're obviously not giving the coach or smart credit for this play.

In fact, only White and Tatum crashed the board while Brown sat like a spectator.

Obviously Miami is taking away Tatum and Brown in this spot, sorry not sorry but the play we ended up with was a disaster. Just like the entire last 4 minutes.

I just thank god that White is the high IQ basketball player Smart thinks he is.

I'm not so sure Smart was wrong to shoot. The other option was a pass to White, but Bam might have been able to fly over and briefly disrupt the shot, in a way that would be minor EXCEPT for the clock situation.

Anyhow, what really happened is apparent from the video angle from behind White. Smart judged that the intended play wasn't working, so he resolved to come to the inbounder with the intention to catch and shoot. (The instant of his decision is obvious on his face.) After that, he surely wasn't checking the precise locations of Bam and Strus for a potential pass to White so much as he was preparing his own body for a rapid turnaround shot.

[Fencer reregistered]

We're obviously not giving the coach or smart credit for this play.

In fact, only White and Tatum crashed the board while Brown sat like a spectator.

Obviously Miami is taking away Tatum and Brown in this spot, sorry not sorry but the play we ended up with was a disaster. Just like the entire last 4 minutes.

I just thank god that White is the high IQ basketball player Smart thinks he is.

Smart was the only guy on the court (DWhite inbounded) who hit a 3 all game. The other 3 starters were ‘0-for’ from 3 for the game. It was too tough a shot to be sure - but Smart made a great shot and it almost went down.

Why are they taking a 3 when literally any **** will do?

So you want Snart taking a 3 with your season on the line? A well contested 3?

I think you're all lying to be honest. Blind by the fact that it worked out.

Smart did this not one but TWICE during a loss to the Sixers. Didn't work then and didn't now. It's not the play to take.

The play design sort of half-nodded to the possibility of a 2. Tatum, the first option, presumably would have taken a 3 or long 2. Brown, the second option, surely would have taken a 2. Anybody else (Smart as it happened would have taken a 3 as well).

I was unhappy at the time that Rob wasn't on the court for a potential lob.

[Fencer reregistered]

We're obviously not giving the coach or smart credit for this play.

In fact, only White and Tatum crashed the board while Brown sat like a spectator.

Obviously Miami is taking away Tatum and Brown in this spot, sorry not sorry but the play we ended up with was a disaster. Just like the entire last 4 minutes.

I just thank god that White is the high IQ basketball player Smart thinks he is.

Brown cut for the ball and when Smart shot Bam boxed him out. He didn’t just stand there like a spectator.

So Brown wasn't at the 3 point line watching the ball instead of crashing the rebound like White and Tatum?

I made that up?

Yes, you made it up. Brown was further in than that, where he was being blocked out by Miami's only good big man.

[Fencer reregistered]

I understand that there are Smart apologist everywhere and yesterday was not the game to be bitching about Smart. Nor was the last one.

However I stand by my comment. Smart chucking a 3 down by 1 is a losing play. Celtics gotta be better.

Fair point except for one obvious thing…..last night it wasn’t a losing play! Agree we gotta be better and thankfully there is going to be a game 7!

Ya I dono what you're watching but Smart didn't hit the 3 against the sixers and he didn't last night.

Let's not give Smart credit for what White did. They're two different plays.

"Close" occasionally counts in basketball, when you leave a good putback chance for a teammate and they cash in.

The overwhelming majority of cases are in layup attempts, usually in transition. But this one time it counts for an attempted 3.

[Fencer reregistered]

We're obviously not giving the coach or smart credit for this play.

In fact, only White and Tatum crashed the board while Brown sat like a spectator.

Obviously Miami is taking away Tatum and Brown in this spot, sorry not sorry but the play we ended up with was a disaster. Just like the entire last 4 minutes.

I just thank god that White is the high IQ basketball player Smart thinks he is.

Smart was the only guy on the court (DWhite inbounded) who hit a 3 all game. The other 3 starters were ‘0-for’ from 3 for the game. It was too tough a shot to be sure - but Smart made a great shot and it almost went down.

Wait what? You are claiming a Marcus Smart 3 point shot when you are down 1 is a good shot? Umm yeah. I respectfully disagree.

I say again -- the opponent gets a vote.

The Heat chose to commit hard to blowing up the Cs' best shot-attempt possibilities. The cost was to elevate the choice the Cs did make from "lousy" to "not so bad".

[keevsnick1]

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In the last two postseason runs the Celtics have won at least two road games in all 6 eastern conference series they have played (only won 1 against the gsw). They are a total of 14-7 on the road and only 11-11 at home.

They are a great road playoff team.

[Tyakack]

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In the last two postseason runs the Celtics have won at least two road games in all 6 eastern conference series they have played (only won 1 against the gsw). They are a total of 14-7 on the road and only 11-11 at home.

They are a great road playoff team.

Yup, if only we were slightly above average at home we would have a title already.

[The Corey's]

Brown cut for the ball and when Smart shot Bam boxed him out. He didn’t just stand there like a spectator.

So Brown wasn't at the 3 point line watching the ball instead of crashing the rebound like White and Tatum?

I made that up?

Yes, you made it up. Brown was further in than that, where he was being blocked out by Miami's only good big man.

I'm not really interested in arguing the semantics of Brown moving two feet inside the 3 point line or not. It's clear you're ok with Smart's decision, even though it didn't work and was a ridiculous shot to be taken given the circumstances.

[Fencer reregistered]

So Brown wasn't at the 3 point line watching the ball instead of crashing the rebound like White and Tatum?

I made that up?

Yes, you made it up. Brown was further in than that, where he was being blocked out by Miami's only good big man.

I'm not really interested in arguing the semantics of Brown moving two feet inside the 3 point line or not. It's clear you're ok with Smart's decision, even though it didn't work and was a ridiculous shot to be taken given the circumstances.

Yes, I'm completely OK with Smart's decision. It was either correct, or a wholly forgiveable error on a very close call.

I do think Joe could have made a better playcall than one so focused on 3pt opportunities.

[The Corey's]

Yes, you made it up. Brown was further in than that, where he was being blocked out by Miami's only good big man.

I'm not really interested in arguing the semantics of Brown moving two feet inside the 3 point line or not. It's clear you're ok with Smart's decision, even though it didn't work and was a ridiculous shot to be taken given the circumstances.

Yes, I'm completely OK with Smart's decision. It was either correct, or a wholly forgiveable error on a very close call.

I do think Joe could have made a better playcall than one so focused on 3pt opportunities.

Not holding Smart accountable is what enabled him in the first place.

He's not that guy.

[Bostondave]

One thing I'll say about that disaster/miracle in the last seconds is that I like the basketball instincts of both Tatum and White. They did what you're supposed to do and crash. Tatum might've had it had the ball bounced another way. Might have. But he was there crashing. That's good basketball. The bounce it did take was nice and soft right into White's hands for the easy put back. Great instincts and basketball from both on that final play.

[Fencer reregistered]

Crossposted from another venue:

Rob should have been in over Horford, especially since Horford had the yips last night.

Example: If Rob is the inbounder instead of White, and everything else is the same, then he'd have run straight to the rim rather than setting up in the corner, making a lob-to-Rob realistic, or having an even better chance at the putback if the play unfolded as it actually did. Also, White could have been in the far corner rather than Horford.

[Fencer reregistered]

Horford seemed to have the yips last night, making up for them with energy. That play where he outran everybody in transition by so much that he fumbled White's pass and still scored is the most obvious example.
I also suspected that his great "recovery block" after a Miami offensive rebound wouldn't have been necessary if he'd done better grabbing the ball in the first place.

Incidentally, this means we should NOT criticize Joe for rejecting any ATO idea that relied on Al getting an inbound pass in the paint and doing something with it quickly (pass or shoot as the case may be). But we can indeed criticize Joe for having Al in for the last play at all.