Celtics 99 @ Cavaliers 109 Post-game Notes (3-3)

[FlatearthZorro]

My observations:

- I'm done with Smart and Morris. For all I know Smart can be the 3rd twin. I can't believe at how many bad plays both of them combined for. Smart threw the ball out of bounds on entry passes 2 or 3 times. They both shot 28 footers early in the shot clock. It was just hard to watch.

- Horfie just had a bad game. I can't blame him cause Al, Brown, Tatum and Rozier have carried us so far.

- Terry and Brown were really good, Tatum had a decent game. I have no idea why we didn't go to Brown more and Tatum, too...

- The Cavs played with more energy, I think we gave up way too many easy baskets. And we had too many unforced turnovers which led to them attacking early.

- We need to do a better job on Hill.

[ermocrate]

With Kyrie this series would have been over in 5, young goys are simply not enough on the road, now you have an huge possibility to be eliminated, if 1or2 Cavs picks a lucky shooting streak we are done, it’s 4 games straight we are playing like garbage, we got luck Cleveland sucked big time in game 5.

[Fencer reregistered]

You guys are taking the guy too literally. He said he **** up. That's all he said. Would you prefer he give some BS excuse, or admit to his mistakes, and say what he did: "it won't happen on Sunday". That's what I want to hear: a commitment.

There is no excuse for him to have not given 110 percent. He should know better and be better.

What do you think this guy goes to play in the ECF and just decides to chill? I don't know how you can actually believe that. Hard for me to beleive people actually think he doesn't care about the playoffs at all, and just would prefer to not be too tired after the game.

What's much more likely is he got outclassed on the boards because he's not a premiere rebounding talent. And someone better at rebounding stole some from him, and so he'll try better next time, but the reality is he is who he is.

Horford and Olynyk have quite a few similarities. Horford has both more hops than Olynyk and more quickness, which makes him better -- or as the case may be less bad -- at offense, defense and rebounding alike. But they both pass well. They both shoot well.

Above all, they both are a little slow to recognize the situation on the court, but then make smart decisions once they do grasp it. This slowness, I think, helps explain both their rebounding difficulties and their slow release on briefly-open 3s.

[Tyakack]

You’re 1 win away to get to the finals against a guy who has owned you throughout your playoff career (Lebron) you then come out and play like that and then admit to sleeping on a few plays? That’s unbelievable and a damn shame.

It bothers me too. He should be playing like his ass was on fire. I don't get it.

If I’m Danny, I’m moving him. F that. This is the ECF. Win you go to the Finals. And you “fell asleep”? Yeah no, thats ridiculous. Thats having no balls.

Lol, we would have been out in the first round without horford. I get you're mad, I am too... But comments like this is just reactionary nonsense and that's putting it nicely.

[CelticsLV]

Was watching in replay. Pathetic 4th Q. When Cavs scored 8 straight points off 4 offensive rebounds i turned that **** off. Coudn't care less about 6 minutes still on the clock.

[Pacino62]

I had to bow out of the GT thread last night. Way too many emotions and reactionary takes. I hope we all can agree that we wouldn't be out of the first round without Al, but we are going to trade and crucify him. There's a half dozen or so posters who brought some sanity, but holy **** people are losing their minds. As for Al's comments about falling asleep, I love that he owned up. He could have made excuses, but that's not what our guys do. He took it on the chin and he's going to come out with fire Sunday.

None of this was suppose to happen. None of it. And we have a real good chance of taking down Bron in game 7 at home thanks to everyone who's played meaningful minutes this post season. After this improbable run, I'll be crushed to see any of them go.

[claycarver]

I had to bow out of the GT thread last night. Way too many emotions and reactionary takes. I hope we all can agree that we wouldn't be out of the first round without Al, but we are going to trade and crucify him. There's a half dozen or so posters who brought some sanity, but holy **** people are losing their minds. As for Al's comments about falling asleep, I love that he owned up. He could have made excuses, but that's not what our guys do. He took it on the chin and he's going to come out with fire Sunday.

None of this was suppose to happen. None of it. And we have a real good chance of taking down Bron in game 7 at home thanks to everyone who's played meaningful minutes this post season. After this improbable run, I'll be crushed to see any of them go.

Truely. I can't figure out what's going on here. Are we playing with house money or not?

I hate losing, but I don't see a bunch of underperformers losing to an inferior Cavs team out there. I see young guys thrust into prominent rolls early and covering for a short bench. You guys losing your stuff are thrashing around looking for scapegoats because your expectations somehow went from "we can't win anything without Hayward and Irving" to "How in the hell aren't we already in the Finals?"

I went out on a limb, put my homer glasses on, and predicted Celts in 7. So far, they've justified my homerism.

[jbs]

LeBron is on steroids, HGH whatever. Reminds me of Barry Bonds and the other steroids-hitters in baseball. There is no other explanation for what he is doing. He looks like Thanos' more muscular brother.

If LeBron wins game 7 I'm probably done with the NBA for awhile.

[tfmiii]

I am convinced we win if Love doesn't go down...

Early 2nd quarter and Smart takes 2 straight defensive trips off letting Green score a quick 5 till Baynes calls it out, the Marcuses jack some early clock 3s and mix in stupid TOs, gives life to the Cavs frontrunners then LBJ starts expending energy, getting calls and energizing his *now athletic and active* teammates.

Brad nails Baynes to the bench since he doesn't 'match up' with Nance and we're down to 6 players (not counting Monroe), Cavs all but take baseball bats to us on D and we treadmill to the end despite Rozier heroics. I think CBS tried to punish them with size, Al too slow to recognize doubles, Monroe tries but just can't make it click on D (plus more TOs), and too much scrambling allowing cavs athleticism to get put backs galore

Also, how many layups and tip-ins is Mook gonna miss? For a tuff guy he does an awful lot of crying to the refs, he needs to force the issue and make them call the contact rather than pussy footing with cutesy layups that spin out. At least Ojeleye knows his limitations on that end.

I expect better execution in game 7, might not be a bad idea to match Ojeleye vs Nance if Love is out, more athleticism, brute strength, and switchability... we need to soak up some minutes without compromising the integrity of our D against these frontrunners.

[darylbe]

I had to bow out of the GT thread last night. Way too many emotions and reactionary takes. I hope we all can agree that we wouldn't be out of the first round without Al, but we are going to trade and crucify him. There's a half dozen or so posters who brought some sanity, but holy **** people are losing their minds. As for Al's comments about falling asleep, I love that he owned up. He could have made excuses, but that's not what our guys do. He took it on the chin and he's going to come out with fire Sunday.

None of this was suppose to happen. None of it. And we have a real good chance of taking down Bron in game 7 at home thanks to everyone who's played meaningful minutes this post season. After this improbable run, I'll be crushed to see any of them go.

Truely. I can't figure out what's going on here. Are we playing with house money or not?

I hate losing, but I don't see a bunch of underperformers losing to an inferior Cavs team out there. I see young guys thrust into prominent rolls early and covering for a short bench. You guys losing your stuff are thrashing around looking for scapegoats because your expectations somehow went from "we can't win anything without Hayward and Irving" to "How in the hell aren't we already in the Finals?"

I went out on a limb, put my homer glasses on, and predicted Celts in 7. So far, they've justified my homerism.

It's not superior cavs team. It's allowing Nance and green to jump over horford to pull down embarrassing offensive rebounds and get second chances or scores time and time and time and time and time again. The dudes perfectly content getting balls in his face.

It's not a better team. They don't show up on the road and badly got out hustled. That's it.

Another thing. Did rozier have a single successful drive and layup? Because the game I saw, he got his ass embarrassed over and over and over.

If LeBron hits a fadeaway jumper for 3 two times in a row with a long Tatum in his face yea, I get it, nothing you can do and sick shot.

But Morris smart ate garbage off a platter and made pathetic turnovers repeatedly. Yea, I'm going to react and call it what it is.

[Jammer]

I think that when Tatum knocked Love out of the Game (Love was 0-3 FG in 5 minutes),
allowing Nance (5-5 FG) and Jeff Green (4-10 FG, 14 points) to play
the 24 points that the Cavs got from Green and Nance,
coupled with the better defense that Green and Nance offer over Love,
ended up costing the Celtics the game.

I sure wish Love had stayed on the court for 30 minutes. I think Boston would have won if he had.

I Stand by this.

[Setshot33]

Read on Twitter

Not surprising when you're a 10 mill/yr player masquerading as an upper echelon 26 mill/yr guy.

And this guy is lauded as a team leader?

Question: Does KG fall asleep in a game with a Finals berth on the line? How about PP?

[tfmiii]

Read on Twitter

Not surprising when you're a 10 mill/yr player masquerading as an upper echelon 26 mill/yr guy.

And this guy is lauded as a team leader?

Question: Does KG fall asleep in a game with a Finals berth on the line? How about PP?

Nance is a terrible match up for Al given all the responsibility he has on D for us, too athletic and just crashing the boards without concerns about getting an offensive foul, I'd rather faceguard Nance with Ojeleye and put Al on LBJ, I bet he won't fall asleep then

[GWVan]

I thought it was a great game. I don't know what is going on with everyone's negativity but we were always in the game, I never thought we didn't have a chance. JB's three goes in and we would had cut the lead to 4 late and been on a roll.

Lebron's two 3 pointers late were absolute daggers. I was happy when he let go of them because I was sure he wouldn't have his legs under him and would front rim them. He looked like a completely different player at the end of this game from the end of game 5. I hate him with a passion and suspect that he was on some performance enhancing drug last night. He also absolutely is the biggest attention whore I've ever seen. Oh poor me, I have no supporting cast, I am tired, my leg is hurt, let me just drop 46 points in 46 minutes, please tell me i'm a legend, my mommy didn't hug me enough. If the man could have worked thru these issues with therapy when he first come in the league he absolutely would have been the GOAT.

Anyway, I can't remember a post season run I've enjoyed this much. I think it's because I realize that we have a young coach and several young players who are are going to be so much better than ever imagined, but they are absolutely not ready yet. I've been following this team for a long long time and I can't remember the future ever looking so bright. Game 7 should be an epic game, but I think I'll stay away from this board if we are behind and certainly if we lose.

[claycarver]

It's not superior cavs team. It's allowing Nance and green to jump over horford to pull down embarrassing offensive rebounds and get second chances or scores time and time and time and time and time again. The dudes perfectly content getting balls in his face.

It's not a better team. They don't show up on the road and badly got out hustled. That's it.

Another thing. Did rozier have a single successful drive and layup? Because the game I saw, he got his ass embarrassed over and over and over.

If LeBron hits a fadeaway jumper for 3 two times in a row with a long Tatum in his face yea, I get it, nothing you can do and sick shot.

But Morris smart ate garbage off a platter and made pathetic turnovers repeatedly. Yea, I'm going to react and call it what it is.

But they have a Nance available...we don't have a Theis to come back with. They have a Green that can get hot when Love goes out...that SHOULD be Brown for us this year, but he has to carry our team every game instead of being that game 6 hero. Amazingly, you're even blowing up Rozier here for failing to do what Irving excels at.

What you are missing is that our injuries give us no room for error. They have that room. Thompson can crap the bed and no one notices because they have a Nance who can cover. Korver can go ice cold this game because Hill's feeling it. You don't even notice Korver, Smith, or Thompson's bad games because they have other guys that could step up last night. We don't have that, so you fixate on any guy that has a bad game and say, "that's unacceptable."

When everyone says, "we're playing with house money" that's what we're talking about. We have no right to expect perfection from the 7 man rotation every night. the Cavs aren't getting that kind of perfection either, but they don't have to.

And still, we're tied 3-3 with game 7 at home. That's pretty damn impressive.

[Ben-N1ce]

Al just shrinks against the Cavs and that was my concern. Shockingly he is rebounding way better than he ever has against them That's how pathetic he has been against them in the playoffs...

[LarryBirdsFingr]

This is how it was supposed to be, wasn't it?

TD Garden. LeBron's house of horrors before becoming the all-time great he now is. Cavaliers. Celtics. Where the rivalry started before all of that South Beach BS. In Boston, where we last sent LeBron packing some eight years ago, running to Miami with his tail between his legs.

Game. ****. Seven.

Let's **** get it.

Lets see if the kids can do what the 2012 team could not, get passed lebrunto.

[CelticsPride18]

Read on Twitter

Not surprising when you're a 10 mill/yr player masquerading as an upper echelon 26 mill/yr guy.

And this guy is lauded as a team leader?

Question: Does KG fall asleep in a game with a Finals berth on the line? How about PP?

The Big 3 wasn’t perfect either or are you forgetting game 7 of the 2010 finals the Lakers had a ton of offensive rebounds in the 4th quarter of a clinching tittle game. Rebounding is a team effort. I’m not excusing Horford’s effort tonight but the team was awful tonight on the boards even with Baynes on the court.

[ParticleMan]

wow. horfie hate returns.

he had a bad game. he fessed up. would you rather he come out and say "i played just super"?

horford is about the last thing we have to worry about in G7. we need more team rebounding.

[darylbe]

When everyone says, "we're playing with house money" that's what we're talking about. We have no right to expect perfection from the 7 man rotation every night. the Cavs aren't getting that kind of perfection either, but they don't have to.

And still, we're tied 3-3 with game 7 at home. That's pretty damn impressive.

We will have all off-season to praise the team for coming this far. I know. I would have been proud that we even competed w/ philly.

Here's my point with rozier. You say failing to do what KI excels at... Let's say every time you go in the water, EVERY time, a lifeguard has to pull you out because you almost drown. Are you going to keep going in the water? No. Only a moron would.

It was mistake after mistake. Fine, whatever. But there's zero excuse for being out badly hustled for 4 quarters