Celts Turn Up The Heat! ECF Game 4 Victory Cigar vs MIA 5/23 (MIA leads 3-1)

[return2glory]

Celtics are 4-5 at home this post season. They can't possibly lose ANOTHER home game..... right?

They can. But I think we win game 5.

What would be a more Celtics way for this series to go? Come all the way back from down 0-3 in a row by shooting 45+ threes in every game and making 40+% of them (ala early season Celtics). Or get to a game seven and be up 14 with 5 minutes to go only to blow it at home when they start slowly walking the ball up every possession (ala recent Celtics)?

Honestly after game 3, I don't care how this series goes. I really don't care about this series. I cared about game 4 and had a feeling we would win game 4. That was my first time in this series going into a game, I felt like we would win. And we did.

I now care about game 5. I don't care about the series. I care about game 5.

[Bird84]

They can. But I think we win game 5.

What would be a more Celtics way for this series to go? Come all the way back from down 0-3 in a row by shooting 45+ threes in every game and making 40+% of them (ala early season Celtics). Or get to a game seven and be up 14 with 5 minutes to go only to blow it at home when they start slowly walking the ball up every possession (ala recent Celtics)?

Honestly after game 3, I don't care how this series goes. I really don't care about this series. I cared about game 4 and had a feeling we would win game 4. That was my first time in this series going into a game, I felt like we would win. And we did.

I now care about game 5. I don't care about the series. I care about game 5.

Let's hope the team has that same mindset.

[tfmiii]

It's still a major concern the amount of threes Boston takes. 45 threes with a 40% shoiting just isn't sustainable.

That ship has sailed, this is who Boston is. They will continue to live (or die) by the 3 as they've done all year.

Do people not get this? Boston coming into this game had actually DOMINATED Miami on points in the paint this series. They dominated the offensive glass in game 3. They had taken 11 more FTA's in the series.

At some point, THEY HAVE TO HIT THREES. Coming into this game they were shooting under 30% from three, and MIA was shooting 48% from three. It almost literally does not matter what else you do if you get out shot that badly. MIA had 13 MORE three point makes on 14 FEWER three point attempts before today.

Basically the three point shooting disparity alone meant Boston was spotting MIA 15+ points every game. And that's before you consider the demoralizing effect it can have on your overall play.

Boston HAS TO, HAS TO take and make threes this series (and/or MIA has to miss theirs). Its REALLY HARD to overcome that disparity. but especially so for this c's team as designed.

Or, conversely, Boston has to use defense to help force Miami back to their mean with regards to their 3pt shooting?

[SuperDeluxe]

Do I think we'll come back and win the series? Honestly no. Would I be surprised if these buttholes pulled it off? Also no. They're so schizophrenic. I think we fumble in the clutch game 6. Prove me wrong buttholes!

This take is too negative, your "true fan" card has been revoked.

That's actually how most of this board (including me) probably feels.

Your little act is getting tired.

[Lee Van Cleef]

If we can win game 5, no one can guess what’s gonna happen next. Win the game, put the pressure on Heat. I am “cautiously optimistic”.

[return2glory]

What would be a more Celtics way for this series to go? Come all the way back from down 0-3 in a row by shooting 45+ threes in every game and making 40+% of them (ala early season Celtics). Or get to a game seven and be up 14 with 5 minutes to go only to blow it at home when they start slowly walking the ball up every possession (ala recent Celtics)?

Honestly after game 3, I don't care how this series goes. I really don't care about this series. I cared about game 4 and had a feeling we would win game 4. That was my first time in this series going into a game, I felt like we would win. And we did.

I now care about game 5. I don't care about the series. I care about game 5.

Let's hope the team has that same mindset.

They do. They did tonight. They have to maintain it now.

[return2glory]

I have to give a little credit to this win to our bench for the way they played in the 4th quarter of game 3, led by Pritchard, Kornet and Hauser. That was the only quarter we one in that game.

These guys played hard and they played well. You could see the starters on the bench cheering for him. That right there told me this team still cared about each other. That's also why I wasn't buying into the Max story. That might have happened but the team pulled together in that 4th quarter.

[Captain_Caveman]

After what happened Sunday night I'm just happy this team got a win and didn't fold. Tatum gets the victory cigar but white played well and Horford hit some shots.

It's still a major concern the amount of threes Boston takes. 45 threes with a 40% shoiting just isn't sustainable.

M my rant: this game pisses me off as well and I'll tell you why: Not taking anything away from Miami they play hard and they're well coached but it's so goddamn annoying that a team with this much talent can't bring this almost every night. It's absolutely absurd they're down 3-1 now.

The season average is 42.6 threes per game on 37.7%. 40% on 45 threes is eminently sustainable. It's like 2 more attempts than average and like one more made three than what 37.7% would be.

Efficiency typically goes down the longer you are in the playoffs, as you are only playing good teams that have a chance to gameplan for you over the course of a series.

[skywalker33]

So, JUST Maybe....

[Bostondave]

Wasn't even close to their best ball. But take the win. One game at a time.

I just hope it wasn't a Heat letdown. Still, one game at a time.

[zoyathedestroya]

My favorite plays of the game were JB driving into the paint area and kicking the ball out, not even looking at the rim.

[Madrage57]

My favorite plays of the game were JB driving into the paint area and kicking the ball out, not even looking at the rim.

From his interview it sounds like that might continue to be part of the gameplan.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Cool win, but so pitiful that we have to go down 0-3 to get the guys to play halfway correct.

[Fierce1]

Celtics need to channel that inner 2004 Red Sox.

[reload141]

They can. But I think we win game 5.

What would be a more Celtics way for this series to go? Come all the way back from down 0-3 in a row by shooting 45+ threes in every game and making 40+% of them (ala early season Celtics). Or get to a game seven and be up 14 with 5 minutes to go only to blow it at home when they start slowly walking the ball up every possession (ala recent Celtics)?

Honestly after game 3, I don't care how this series goes. I really don't care about this series. I cared about game 4 and had a feeling we would win game 4. That was my first time in this series going into a game, I felt like we would win. And we did.

I now care about game 5. I don't care about the series. I care about game 5.

You have to do this every game from now on mate.

You are clearly the Goodluck charm, don’t let us down!

[reload141]

So, JUST Maybe....

I’ve been waiting for you to grace our boards mate.

SKYWALKER IS HERE FINALLY!

[Captain_Caveman]

Tatum and Grant were the 2 best players tonight.

Marcus made a few shots but he wasnt good overall.

I'm stunned there are people saying Brown was bad/horrible. Yeah, he didnt shoot great but he was good defensively and moved the ball well. Should have had 8-9 assists.

Brown was horrible for most of the first half.

He's played poorly in 5 of the last 6 IMO, with the 1 good game being in a Game 7 that Tatum had well under control. Also worth noting that in the game before this 6-game stretch, he nearly cost us our season by inexplicably helping off of Harden in the corner with 20 seconds left in a 2-point game, allowing him to have a wide open 3 for the lead and eventual win.

That play was not an anomaly, either. He loses his man or has brainfarts with regularity on defense, including tonight. Speaking of tonight, while I just pointed out that offensive efficiency tends to dip in the playoffs in my prior post, consider that Jaylen had 17 points tonight on 18 attempted scoring possessions (16 FGA and 2 trips to the FT line). That's not good at all, and it's in the area of his biggest strength. Only Brogdon was less efficient offensively tonight, IMO.

The Heat's ability to take away his drives is total kyrptonite for him. It's really the one thing he truly excels at. Probably the worst defender in our top 8, almost no ability to create for others, and contrary to conventional perception, only a league average 3-point shooter at best (lower 3ptFG% than Smart this season, in fact).

People will take this as hating, but point to the lie. This is a guy looking at a possible supermax, who has proven himself to have no problem pointing fingers at other people (including our fans for not being loud enough recently).

Simply put, our margin in this series is non-existent. One hot game from any Heat player could send us home, as could a cold game from several different Celtics. Mazzulla is also overmatched and has been getting called out for that left and right. But the biggest single thing we need is simply for our 2nd team All-NBA swingman to show up. One way or another, Jaylen needs to find a way.

[zoyathedestroya]

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[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

Learning on the job...

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[zoyathedestroya]

I voted JB for CP mainly because he got with the program. Ball movement was the primary reason our offense hummed especially in the 2nd half. He rarely forced anything tonight. It’s a low bar for me but a very important one.

Brogdon was asswater bad.