Max on 98.5: Players and upper managament exchanging words in Miami

[threrf23]

Can I just ask..... if the Boston Celtics players HATE each other as much as some media would have us believe then why do they keep winning elimination games? You would think they would have folded down 3-2 to Phili after a humiliating game 5. Or after going down 3-0 to MIA following a humiliating game 3. Instead they come back and play 4 of their best defensive games of the entire year.

It's just very strange behavior for a team full of guys who all hate each other.

Thin line behind love and hate man, once the emotion exists it can swing in either direction.

Not to contradict your point, I thought we got lucky game 6 vs the Sixers, we did come out with good defensive intensity early, but we struggled on offense and played like trash for much of the second half.

[djFan71]

I’m exchanging words with my pants as we speak

Does that make us your pants?

[BK_2020]

Can I just ask..... if the Boston Celtics players HATE each other as much as some media would have us believe then why do they keep winning elimination games? You would think they would have folded down 3-2 to Phili after a humiliating game 5. Or after going down 3-0 to MIA following a humiliating game 3. Instead they come back and play 4 of their best defensive games of the entire year.

It's just very strange behavior for a team full of guys who all hate each other.

They channel their hatred of each other into angry energy. It's reverse chemistry. Brad figured out the new meta.

[31to6]

I’m exchanging words with my pants as we speak

Does that make us your pants?

I'd rather not exchange words with you about that.
Pasta recipes though? Sure.

[exculpatory]

I’m exchanging words with my pants as we speak

Does that make us your pants?

I'd rather not exchange words with you about that.
Pasta recipes though? Sure.

Or types of gazpacho soup.

[return2glory]

Can I just ask..... if the Boston Celtics players HATE each other as much as some media would have us believe then why do they keep winning elimination games? You would think they would have folded down 3-2 to Phili after a humiliating game 5. Or after going down 3-0 to MIA following a humiliating game 3. Instead they come back and play 4 of their best defensive games of the entire year.

It's just very strange behavior for a team full of guys who all hate each other.

Because they don't hate each other. You could see that in the 4th quarter of game 3. We were getting blown out. The bench came in at the start of the 4th and we won that quarter, the only quarter in that game we won. What was so important in that quarter? The starters and other players like Blake were cheering for their teammates on the floor. Liking/ each other was not an issue at all in the first 3 games.

[London2Boston]

These players don’t hate each other. It’s lazy to make generalisations like that.

Are they too casual, lack focus and easy to get into their minds…sure. But nothing from this group the last years shows they hate each other. We saw the Kyrie and Marcus Morris years here… just compare the two locker rooms.

[captain green]

I personally believe ime should have been fired.
And I also believe the wrong guy mazzy got promoted with players full well wanting Damon.
And part of what I heard was players were upset that ime got fired for less a problem than mazzy had the physical abuse issues. They thought one was worse than the other. Also I believe mazzy slamming that notebook down lost 40% of the players respect.
I also believe losing hardy and Damon took it's toll.
And I also heard players were not happy with Brad at the trade deadline he didn't help his team after wyc told him to go all in and a few players were wanting a trade out that didn't get traded. Either way I thought all that would hurt us at the beginning of the season instead internal problems has came to a head in the ec finals. This team will look way different next year.
Players 25% fault
Coaches including ime 35% fault
Brad and owners 40 %fault
Blame all around only this was a internal combustion and not properly handled by anyone. Sad sad sad

[threrf23]

Blame all around only this was a internal combustion and not properly handled by anyone. Sad sad sad

I'm not sure where you get some of your assumptions (or information) from,

But 2-3 seasons ago I think it was well agreed upon that our team if not our franchise had a culture issue, and that changes were needed.

I'm not sure exactly how much of this was literally said vs thought vs my own projections, but some thought Brad simply needed to hire a tough nosed assistant (or head coach) whom the players would respect, some likely assumed we needed roster changes, and additions to balance out our young'uns, and some likely surmised that covid had taken a toll on everyone, Brad had legit been burnt out as he had claimed, etcetera.

So we went out and hired Ime. Coach aside, one of Brad's first moves was to go out and get Al back, a veteran leader whom players knew and respected and would listen to. DWhite was another intangibles guy we added, and then Brad traded for Brogdon; Brad had previously expressed admiration for Brogdon as a "winner" going back to his days as Butler's coach, IIRC.

I think a lot of people here assumed or hoped that Ime would turn the team culture around, and I really think that Brad surmised that landing Al & Brogdon might patch up issues (and I am sure they have helped in some capacity).

Regardless of how this season ends - they way things have been over the past two games I think he have a legit shot to win a chip - what we have seen this season is that we still have more or less the same culture issue we had when Brad stepped down as coach, or at least had it as of a few games ago. Ime was a bandaid that fell off.

I personally attribute the culture issue to a lack of leadership and accountability, or something to that general effect. Whatever the case, it doesn't excuse the players for their part, it doesn't excuse Ime for his unspecified behavior, but these things happen where organizations lack proper structure, identity, accountability, transparency, whatever. They will presumably continue to happen if we don't make changes this offseason.

[keevsnick1]

Can I just ask..... if the Boston Celtics players HATE each other as much as some media would have us believe then why do they keep winning elimination games? You would think they would have folded down 3-2 to Phili after a humiliating game 5. Or after going down 3-0 to MIA following a humiliating game 3. Instead they come back and play 4 of their best defensive games of the entire year.

It's just very strange behavior for a team full of guys who all hate each other.

Because they don't hate each other. You could see that in the 4th quarter of game 3. We were getting blown out. The bench came in at the start of the 4th and we won that quarter, the only quarter in that game we won. What was so important in that quarter? The starters and other players like Blake were cheering for their teammates on the floor. Liking/ each other was not an issue at all in the first 3 games.

Ya I agree. My post was tongue-in-cheek. Teams that hate each other don't keep trying, they pack it in for cancun.

The mental-toughness/locker room stories are so often used when things go bad, but sometimes a team just plays badly or gets beat without it being some weird emotional story.

C's played badly first three games, lost. they played better last 3, won. Won or lose game 7 they don't hate other and aren't mentally weak.