Can Brad Stevens make the necessary adjustments?

[klemen4]

Baynes should start since game 2 when Thompson started for Cle...do not know what Stevens is waiting for?

Than we could go with smart instead of Rozier, Hill has to be defended better.

Its time for changes.

[amory87]

The team needs to make shots and play defense. Brad can't do that for them.

[OBisHalJordan]

I think the team over-performed expectations and now fans are unrealistic. Stevens coached this team to reach this point, a place no one thought they'd get. He's made lots of "necessary adjustments" to get this far. I guarantee he puts a tremendous amount of thought into his all of decisions and will do so again before game 5. Most of the team is young and playing above their age and experience. Tatum is 20. Brown is 21. Rozier is 24 and was considered a reach when he was picked at 16. All things considered, they're playing pretty great in the ECF. I'd be shocked if any posters here criticizing them for their performance reached comparable level of success in their chosen fields by those ages. Even if the series ends 6 and Cleveland advances you can't realistically and reasonably be disappointed with this team, the coach, or the players.

[celticfan42487]

I think Brad tried to do this in game 4 in the second half.

The problem was Marcus Smart sucks too much.

The other problem is on defense Rozier sucked too much.

I do think we got good minutes with Baynes out there, and Smart was the best defender on LeBron but Morris was the only other one that did a halfway decent job.

I'd go even further. The problem is us not being able to defend, and if Smart is going to tank our offense I'd go with the all bigs lineups and then just post up their PG every play for lowpost offense. At the very least if we miss the jump hook we can cover transition and we should be able to dominate the defensive glass.

Tatum
Brown
Morris
Horford
Baynes

That works well against a TT and Love frontcourt.

The problem is our bench is Smart, Rozier, Semi. But let's run that and just do low post offense on their PG. Everyone in that lineup can hit a 3 and everyone in that lineup is good in the post against guards. **** it.

[thefuture2]

**** that. Ya'll are overreacting to this L. If you're going to make a change, it's Baynes back and Morris off the bench..Brown can guard LeBron and still be a major piece offensively unlike Morris who would just chuck away.

I personally think at home it doesn't matter what line up we use. All our people will play to their normal standards, we will make shots, only LeBron will for them and there's not much of a way they can match us.

This is a 3-2 Boston series going back to Cleveland. It should be no surprise that we suck on the road. It took Pierce, KG and Ray with a first class veteran supporting cast, 7 tries and multiple blow outs to get their first road win..road playoff basketball is hard and it's easy to forget the lack of experience this young group has. No need to hit the panic button and start changing everything. Tatum usually hits the bench 5 or so minutes into the game anyways..the Morris line up was legit in game 1 when Love started at the 5..not anymore once Thompson came back in. Get Baynes in there Brad..

Brilliant post. you want more of Morris 30% FG volume shooting? He can't stop LeBron.

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He never said that lol. He said if there is a change it'll be Baynes for Morris and that our starting lineup only worked so well when TT didnt start

[OldCeltics]

**** that. Ya'll are overreacting to this L. If you're going to make a change, it's Baynes back and Morris off the bench..Brown can guard LeBron and still be a major piece offensively unlike Morris who would just chuck away.

I personally think at home it doesn't matter what line up we use. All our people will play to their normal standards, we will make shots, only LeBron will for them and there's not much of a way they can match us.

This is a 3-2 Boston series going back to Cleveland. It should be no surprise that we suck on the road. It took Pierce, KG and Ray with a first class veteran supporting cast, 7 tries and multiple blow outs to get their first road win..road playoff basketball is hard and it's easy to forget the lack of experience this young group has. No need to hit the panic button and start changing everything. Tatum usually hits the bench 5 or so minutes into the game anyways..the Morris line up was legit in game 1 when Love started at the 5..not anymore once Thompson came back in. Get Baynes in there Brad..

Brilliant post. you want more of Morris 30% FG volume shooting? He can't stop LeBron.

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He never said that lol. He said if there is a change it'll be Baynes for Morris and that our starting lineup only worked so well when TT didnt start

exactly, I was talking to others in the thread

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[thefuture2]

I think the team over-performed expectations and now fans are unrealistic. Stevens coached this team to reach this point, a place no one thought they'd get. He's made lots of "necessary adjustments" to get this far. I guarantee he puts a tremendous amount of thought into his all of decisions and will do so again before game 5. Most of the team is young and playing above their age and experience. Tatum is 20. Brown is 21. Rozier is 24 and was considered a reach when he was picked at 16. All things considered, they're playing pretty great in the ECF. I'd be shocked if any posters here criticizing them for their performance reached comparable level of success in their chosen fields by those ages. Even if the series ends 6 and Cleveland advances you can't realistically and reasonably be disappointed with this team, the coach, or the players.

I understand the premise of your post but you'd be damned to think people and the team wouldn't be upset losing in 6 after having a 2-0 lead. We have the better team and I know I didnt expect the Celtics to reach the ECF but now that we are tied 2-2 I will be very disappointed if we can't finish the job

It's just like the Sixers. Some of their fans said they should be happy about their season as nobody expected them before the year to get to second round. But, there's no way they weren't disappointed getting blasted in 5 games in a series in which they were favored.

[Jaqua92]

Are we really the better team? Or just better coached. We are deeper, and have more talent, but how much does Lebron make up for that? He is arguably more impactful than 2 all stars alone and Al is the only all star.

Id say we are even teams. Weve won. Theyve won. Weve blown them out, and vice versa

[AzogTheDefilier]

Cs are the more athletic team and the Cavs are the more experienced and basketball savvy team.

[Gomes3PC]

There's not a major adjustment to be made with the problem we have defending LeBron with Rozier on those switches. There's stuff like defending Korver better that can be fixed, but fundamentally, it's really hard to hide Terry against LeBron.

What we need is for Rozier to really dominate against Hill when he's not switched - on both ends. Rozier won that matchup clearly at home, Hill really dominated him IMO in Cleveland. Terry has to be productive whenever he's NOT stuck on LeBron on either end.

[thefuture2]

Are we really the better team? Or just better coached. We are deeper, and have more talent, but how much does Lebron make up for that? He is arguably more impactful than 2 all stars alone and Al is the only all star.

Id say we are even teams. Weve won. Theyve won. Weve blown them out, and vice versa

True, I think my reaction after the first 2 games was that we were the more talented team, as in outside of lebron, I would draft 4 Celtics out of 5, as Love is only player on CLE who is better.

I said this series would be tied up at 2-2 because Cavs role players would play well. I still think we are more talented

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

I think the team over-performed expectations and now fans are unrealistic. Stevens coached this team to reach this point, a place no one thought they'd get. He's made lots of "necessary adjustments" to get this far. I guarantee he puts a tremendous amount of thought into his all of decisions and will do so again before game 5. Most of the team is young and playing above their age and experience. Tatum is 20. Brown is 21. Rozier is 24 and was considered a reach when he was picked at 16. All things considered, they're playing pretty great in the ECF. I'd be shocked if any posters here criticizing them for their performance reached comparable level of success in their chosen fields by those ages. Even if the series ends 6 and Cleveland advances you can't realistically and reasonably be disappointed with this team, the coach, or the players.

I understand the premise of your post but you'd be damned to think people and the team wouldn't be upset losing in 6 after having a 2-0 lead. We have the better team and I know I didnt expect the Celtics to reach the ECF but now that we are tied 2-2 I will be very disappointed if we can't finish the job

It's just like the Sixers. Some of their fans said they should be happy about their season as nobody expected them before the year to get to second round. But, there's no way they weren't disappointed getting blasted in 5 games in a series in which they were favored.

You sure the Celtics are the better team as currently constructed? They are up against a team with a ton more experience that of course has Lebron and a bunch of shooters.

As for changes: Maybe figure out how to stop Rozier from having to cover James. TT or Love on switches? I would not mess around with starting line up, guys just need to hit shots. Not sure what else Stevens can do. You know he is in desperation mode when Yabs and Semi are getting minutes.

[thefuture2]

I think the team over-performed expectations and now fans are unrealistic. Stevens coached this team to reach this point, a place no one thought they'd get. He's made lots of "necessary adjustments" to get this far. I guarantee he puts a tremendous amount of thought into his all of decisions and will do so again before game 5. Most of the team is young and playing above their age and experience. Tatum is 20. Brown is 21. Rozier is 24 and was considered a reach when he was picked at 16. All things considered, they're playing pretty great in the ECF. I'd be shocked if any posters here criticizing them for their performance reached comparable level of success in their chosen fields by those ages. Even if the series ends 6 and Cleveland advances you can't realistically and reasonably be disappointed with this team, the coach, or the players.

I understand the premise of your post but you'd be damned to think people and the team wouldn't be upset losing in 6 after having a 2-0 lead. We have the better team and I know I didnt expect the Celtics to reach the ECF but now that we are tied 2-2 I will be very disappointed if we can't finish the job

It's just like the Sixers. Some of their fans said they should be happy about their season as nobody expected them before the year to get to second round. But, there's no way they weren't disappointed getting blasted in 5 games in a series in which they were favored.

You sure the Celtics are the better team as currently constructed? They are up against a team with a ton more experience that of course has Lebron and a bunch of shooters.

As for changes: Maybe figure out how to stop Rozier from having to cover James. TT or Love on switches? I would not mess around with starting line up, guys just need to hit shots. Not sure what else Stevens can do. You know he is in desperation mode when Yabs and Semi are getting minutes.

I'm just talking talent level. I don't think Cavs are more talented but that's not taking into account the experience of CLE and LeBron giving C's fits.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

I understand the premise of your post but you'd be damned to think people and the team wouldn't be upset losing in 6 after having a 2-0 lead. We have the better team and I know I didnt expect the Celtics to reach the ECF but now that we are tied 2-2 I will be very disappointed if we can't finish the job

It's just like the Sixers. Some of their fans said they should be happy about their season as nobody expected them before the year to get to second round. But, there's no way they weren't disappointed getting blasted in 5 games in a series in which they were favored.

You sure the Celtics are the better team as currently constructed? They are up against a team with a ton more experience that of course has Lebron and a bunch of shooters.

As for changes: Maybe figure out how to stop Rozier from having to cover James. TT or Love on switches? I would not mess around with starting line up, guys just need to hit shots. Not sure what else Stevens can do. You know he is in desperation mode when Yabs and Semi are getting minutes.

I'm just talking talent level. I don't think Cavs are more talented but that's not taking into account the experience of CLE and LeBron giving C's fits.

Obviously Lebron is the best player in the series but I think Love is the second best. Then you have celtic players, Tatum, Hordford Brown brown and Maybe Rozier. Then its mostly Cavs players after that TT, Korver, Hill and Smith. And no, I don't think the way the Marcus are playing right now I would rate them above any of the cavs players especially Smart who is shooting 28% for the series.

Problem is of course having more talent doesn't help when your team is outplayed so badly in the first quarter to the point where you cannot come back from it.

[Iguodaladon]

We really need to tone down the switching- I think we started to realise that later on in the game. I think I noticed Smart and Rozier re-switching once Rozier got switched onto Lebron for about the hundredth time I'm sure we were much better at this the first 2 games. Kevin O'Connor even did a piece on how the Celtics defence notices the mismatches and re-switches before the Cavs even have a chance to capitalise. Now we just seem to be switching every time and leaving the defender isolated, leading to plenty of easy shots for Cleveland

[sully00]

We really need to tone down the switching- I think we started to realise that later on in the game. I think I noticed Smart and Rozier re-switching once Rozier got switched onto Lebron for about the hundredth time I'm sure we were much better at this the first 2 games. Kevin O'Connor even did a piece on how the Celtics defence notices the mismatches and re-switches before the Cavs even have a chance to capitalise. Now we just seem to be switching every time and leaving the defender isolated, leading to plenty of easy shots for Cleveland

No the credit goes to CLE they saw what Boston was doing and moved to exploit it. But it is still a make and miss league, all the 3's CLE couldn't hit in Boston fell in CLE. Boston couldn't finish layups and dunks last night.

I am not that worried about the defense, in the end you have two choices double Lebron or have one guy get lit up buy him. If you can make shots you won't give up the transition buckets and easy looks. I thought Boston played pretty hard at least in the second half but you have got to finish and you can't be stupid and we and we didn't and we were. Its fake hustle if you dive out of bounds to flip the ball back under your own hoop.

Physically tough but not mentally tough.

[Iguodaladon]

We really need to tone down the switching- I think we started to realise that later on in the game. I think I noticed Smart and Rozier re-switching once Rozier got switched onto Lebron for about the hundredth time I'm sure we were much better at this the first 2 games. Kevin O'Connor even did a piece on how the Celtics defence notices the mismatches and re-switches before the Cavs even have a chance to capitalise. Now we just seem to be switching every time and leaving the defender isolated, leading to plenty of easy shots for Cleveland

No the credit goes to CLE they saw what Boston was doing and moved to exploit it. But it is still a make and miss league, all the 3's CLE couldn't hit in Boston fell in CLE. Boston couldn't finish layups and dunks last night.

I am not that worried about the defense, in the end you have two choices double Lebron or have one guy get lit up buy him. If you can make shots you won't give up the transition buckets and easy looks. I thought Boston played pretty hard at least in the second half but you have got to finish and you can't be stupid and we and we didn't and we were. Its fake hustle if you dive out of bounds to flip the ball back under your own hoop.

Physically tough but not mentally tough.

I'm pretty worried about our D if Lebron's posting up Rozier on multiple possessions and getting easy baskets- we weren't closing out as hard on 3 point shooters too. I think there were way too many momentum-killing missed 3's in the 2nd half too. We got within about 7 points and then a Morris and Brown missed 3 seemed to suck the life out of us

[Wes-J]

I actually think moving Rozier to bench in favor of smart could be ideal. Smart would be the defender to match Hill and if they get switched it would be our best player. Rozier could come off bench and get our offense going. If they put LeBron on Smart to take his post away who do they put Hill on?

This year’s Smart with the weight loss has no chance of guarding Lebron.

Wrong.

Rozier has no chance of guarding LeBron.

[cloverleaf]

I think he goes back to Baynes tonight and that'll solve the Al/Thompson issue. Then he'll stay with that for the last two games--and the C's will have at least an even chance to win the series.

[Fencer reregistered]

There's not a major adjustment to be made with the problem we have defending LeBron with Rozier on those switches. There's stuff like defending Korver better that can be fixed, but fundamentally, it's really hard to hide Terry against LeBron.

What we need is for Rozier to really dominate against Hill when he's not switched - on both ends. Rozier won that matchup clearly at home, Hill really dominated him IMO in Cleveland. Terry has to be productive whenever he's NOT stuck on LeBron on either end.

And so the adjustment, other than starting Baynes and completely benching Semi, was to have Tatum cover Hill.