PLAYOFFS: Rnd 2, Gm 2 – Sixers (1) @ Celtics (0) – 8:00PM, Wed, May 3, 2023

[Magicman125]

Team shows heart tonight and we win big.

Everyone still tries to blame Mazzulla for player ineptitude

Agreed, C's will come out hot tonight! problem is, they should have for game 1! Crowd was weak too, it was like a regular season game.....That being said, Joe needs to be better! Maybe Brad should tap into his headphones and run the inbound plays for the team, similar to an offensive coordinator and a QB. It's amateur hour on the sidelines and the press conference after every loss is pathetic!

They did come out hot for game 1. It was their defense and clutch play down the stretch on offense that was really an issue. I mean they came out about as hot as a team possibly could, looking at their shooting stats. Especially first half. They gotta send doubles to harden more and try to avoid leaving Horford out on an island against the likes of Harden/Maxey. He can't be asked to do that at his age with how many good perimeter defenders your roster has.

[London2Boston]

Read on Twitter

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They gonna have a lot of momentum and confidence now. We gotta hope he’s hobbled and we take advantage otherwise 0-2 and going on the road is season over.

[Celticsfan100]

I was pissed off yesterday and at this point I'm not even trying to be negative but looking at how most of the remaining teams play versus how Boston plays, even though Boston is talented, it just isn't a formula for winning a championship.

I've always said a team will never win a championship with Harden as their number one and the Celtics top two guys, Tatum and Brown play almost identical to Harden where it's just a ton of dribbling, iso, turnovers and last second shots.

It's terrible basketball and at this point I think I've accepted it's not going to win Boston a title.

That is exactly what I’m worried about. Look how everyone else like Nuggets and Lakers are playing and look at how we are playing. Lebron has no reason to even try anymore but he still is. We acting like we’ve won 5 titles. This certainly is fixable but they better hurry the hell up as time is running out. As of right now we are the worst team in the playoffs that is left with the most talent. So obviously they are still sleep walking

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

Team shows heart tonight and we win big.

Everyone still tries to blame Mazzulla for player ineptitude

Agreed, C's will come out hot tonight! problem is, they should have for game 1! Crowd was weak too, it was like a regular season game.....That being said, Joe needs to be better! Maybe Brad should tap into his headphones and run the inbound plays for the team, similar to an offensive coordinator and a QB. It's amateur hour on the sidelines and the press conference after every loss is pathetic!

They did come out hot for game 1. It was their defense and clutch play down the stretch on offense that was really an issue. I mean they came out about as hot as a team possibly could, looking at their shooting stats. Especially first half. They gotta send doubles to harden more and try to avoid leaving Horford out on an island against the likes of Harden/Maxey. He can't be asked to do that at his age with how many good perimeter defenders your roster has.

Boston's defense is pretty much drop coverage and praying guys miss wide open threes. I think they've been one of the worst defensive teams this playoffs.

I wouldn't even double Harden because he's just going to pass it Melton, Harris or Maxey who's going to hit wide open threes all game.

[Memokerobi]

Just two options really:

Bury them with Embiid and gain back confidence and momentum in the series.

Lose and your season is likely over

[Magicman125]

Agreed, C's will come out hot tonight! problem is, they should have for game 1! Crowd was weak too, it was like a regular season game.....That being said, Joe needs to be better! Maybe Brad should tap into his headphones and run the inbound plays for the team, similar to an offensive coordinator and a QB. It's amateur hour on the sidelines and the press conference after every loss is pathetic!

They did come out hot for game 1. It was their defense and clutch play down the stretch on offense that was really an issue. I mean they came out about as hot as a team possibly could, looking at their shooting stats. Especially first half. They gotta send doubles to harden more and try to avoid leaving Horford out on an island against the likes of Harden/Maxey. He can't be asked to do that at his age with how many good perimeter defenders your roster has.

Boston's defense is pretty much drop coverage and praying guys miss wide open threes. I think they've been one of the worst defensive teams this playoffs.

I wouldn't even double Harden because he's just going to pass it Melton, Harris or Maxey who's going to hit wide open threes all game.

So is the drop off in defensive efficiency between regular season and the playoffs a product of teams exploiting your defensive scheme with time to prepare/exploit its weaknesses in a series? Or do you think it's a lack of effort/execution by the players?

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

They did come out hot for game 1. It was their defense and clutch play down the stretch on offense that was really an issue. I mean they came out about as hot as a team possibly could, looking at their shooting stats. Especially first half. They gotta send doubles to harden more and try to avoid leaving Horford out on an island against the likes of Harden/Maxey. He can't be asked to do that at his age with how many good perimeter defenders your roster has.

Boston's defense is pretty much drop coverage and praying guys miss wide open threes. I think they've been one of the worst defensive teams this playoffs.

I wouldn't even double Harden because he's just going to pass it Melton, Harris or Maxey who's going to hit wide open threes all game.

So is the drop off in defensive efficiency between regular season and the playoffs a product of teams exploiting your defensive scheme with time to prepare/exploit its weaknesses in a series? Or do you think it's a lack of effort/execution by the players?

I think it's too much drop coverage by Boston. Opposing teams are hunting out Horford because several times a game he ends up on the opposing teams best three-point shooter or fastest player which is exactly what happened Monday.

I don't know if the picks or maybe Boston isn't switching up fast enough but probably about 10 times a game guys are getting wide open threes.

Boston was a pretty good defensive team in the regular season but as always in the playoffs the games get tougher the coaching gets better and Boston is being exposed defensively

[31to6]

Just a deeper dive into those numbers

Dribbles per possessions.

Harden
Playoffs: 4.87
Regular season: 4.77

Tatum
Playoffs: 2.69
Regular season: 2.85

Jaylen
Playoffs: 3.43
Regular season: 2.80

Turnover rate amongst top 20 usage players in these playoffs.

Jaylen: 15%, which is second highest.
Harden: 14.1%, which is seventh highest.
Tatum: 8.6%, which is fourth lowest.

Regular season

Harden: 16%
Jaylen: 11.6%
Tatum: 10.4%

Not similar at all, though the rest of these playoffs, Jaylen needs to take much better care of the ball, and dribble less lol.

stats R 4 NERDS
winners RAGE POST!!
#gotHeem

[Magicman125]

Found game 1 wildly entertaining, hope Embiid coming back doesn't mean it turns into a FT flop fest as the quicker pace of Game 1 was really fun to watch. Good luck y'all, love me a competitive rivalry series.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

Just a deeper dive into those numbers

Dribbles per possessions.

Harden
Playoffs: 4.87
Regular season: 4.77

Tatum
Playoffs: 2.69
Regular season: 2.85

Jaylen
Playoffs: 3.43
Regular season: 2.80

Turnover rate amongst top 20 usage players in these playoffs.

Jaylen: 15%, which is second highest.
Harden: 14.1%, which is seventh highest.
Tatum: 8.6%, which is fourth lowest.

Regular season

Harden: 16%
Jaylen: 11.6%
Tatum: 10.4%

Not similar at all, though the rest of these playoffs, Jaylen needs to take much better care of the ball, and dribble less lol.

stats R 4 NERDS
winners RAGE POST!!
#gotHeem

I'm not raging at all what I'm seeing is too much iso ball especially when the games get close down the stretch. I don't think it's a formula for winning a championship but clearly I'm in the minority. I guess we will see how this season plays out.

[lon3lytoaster]

Very low margin for error tonight. Can’t let anything come down to officiating or another situation where it comes down to losing on a 3.

Embiid will probably get to the line a million times tonight, have to be ready for that and win regardless. Season’s most likely over if we go down 0-2, heading to Philly.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

Very low margin for error tonight. Can’t let anything come down to officiating or another situation where it comes down to losing on a 3.

Embiid will probably get to the line a million times tonight, have to be ready for that and win regardless. Season’s most likely over if we go down 0-2, heading to Philly.

I know for some inexplicable reason Boston plays better on the road but if they drop the first two games at home it's definitely over. This is a must win for Boston.

[31to6]

Just a deeper dive into those numbers

Dribbles per possessions.

Harden
Playoffs: 4.87
Regular season: 4.77

Tatum
Playoffs: 2.69
Regular season: 2.85

Jaylen
Playoffs: 3.43
Regular season: 2.80

Turnover rate amongst top 20 usage players in these playoffs.

Jaylen: 15%, which is second highest.
Harden: 14.1%, which is seventh highest.
Tatum: 8.6%, which is fourth lowest.

Regular season

Harden: 16%
Jaylen: 11.6%
Tatum: 10.4%

Not similar at all, though the rest of these playoffs, Jaylen needs to take much better care of the ball, and dribble less lol.

stats R 4 NERDS
winners RAGE POST!!
#gotHeem

I'm not raging at all what I'm seeing is too much iso ball especially when the games get close down the stretch. I don't think it's a formula for winning a championship but clearly I'm in the minority. I guess we will see how this season plays out.

not trying to call you out, JB.
and the issue is specifically that the Celtics are becoming "give it to Tatum and watch him dribble" zombies any time they have a lead and it's the 4th quarter. Jaylen even had a possession going with ~2 minutes left and either Smart or Brogdon pointed to Tatum and told him to give it to him, and he (I suspect begrudgingly) did so. Then as we all know, Tatum's not closing for **** these days.

If only there were a coach and/or point guard and/or superstar who could get the guys onto some better ways to try to generate baskets down the stretch

[Bar Fight]

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Well at least they can't give the same bull excuse of letting their guard down if they lose this one.

[NYCelticsfan136]

This team better show up tonight. Disgraceful first game.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

stats R 4 NERDS
winners RAGE POST!!
#gotHeem

I'm not raging at all what I'm seeing is too much iso ball especially when the games get close down the stretch. I don't think it's a formula for winning a championship but clearly I'm in the minority. I guess we will see how this season plays out.

not trying to call you out, JB.
and the issue is specifically that the Celtics are becoming "give it to Tatum and watch him dribble" zombies any time they have a lead and it's the 4th quarter. Jaylen even had a possession going with ~2 minutes left and either Smart or Brogdon pointed to Tatum and told him to give it to him, and he (I suspect begrudgingly) did so. Then as we all know, Tatum's not closing for **** these days.

If only there were a coach and/or point guard and/or superstar who could get the guys onto some better ways to try to generate baskets down the stretch

Yeah that's definitely a fair point and I agree with everything you said. Obviously Harden career-wise is on a different level than most when it comes to ISO but JT and JB (more so JB) just do it far too much but again maybe it's just me.

I couldn't agree more with what you said about the 2 minute mark either. Games get close down the stretch and Boston goes into full panic mode and they're deferring to Tatum who like you said cannot finish **** these days.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

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Well at least they can't give the same bull excuse of letting their guard down if they lose this one.

Boston knows Embiid is not 100% which unfortunately maybe just enough for Boston not to take this game as seriously as they should.

[London2Boston]

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There’s no way this guy looks ready to go..:

[ThePigeon]

defensive scheme is crap
Stop the drop coverage
Get in the skin of all players
Blitz the P&R
Play with fire and aggression

[BRUNiNHO91]

Embiid playing, those guys are going to come for the throat tonight. We are in trouble if we don’t bring our best game.