PLAYOFFS, Rnd 2, Gm 3 – Celtics (1) @ Cavaliers (1) – 8:30PM, Sat, May 11, 2024

[BK_2020]

I thinknits on both Joe and JT. I also saw a play where Jt passed the ball to DWhite in the corner 3. Dwhite had the opportunity to attack the basket, but opted to chuck a 3, and bricked it bad. **** that!!!
If he attacked the basket, and JT also got inside, he could easily have passed it to JT for dunk, or a simple mid range shot uncontested. Instead, he jacked off a shot fast, and missed with no chance for an offensive rebound. That’s on Joe. Probably said to chuck 3’s as a priority on offense. Sick of it.

The **** everyone is just standing outside watching. No one even tried to cut inside. The cavs probably wants us to shoot contested 3’s all game. That’s why they play Tatum single coverage game 2. They know he’s shooting poorly, so why double???
Until JT gets it going, it will be hard to win.

White was open in the corner. Open corner three is one of the best shots in the game.
There were no cutting angles. What would White cutting baseline accomplish? They are already sagging off. If White drove the close out and Tatum also cut, maybe we get a better shot but probably not because open corner three is a better scoring opportunity than basically anything that's not an open layup or free throws. Also that's not drop coverage.
The play was to get Tatum on Mitchell, which resulted in the defense shifting up to prevent Tatum drive, leaving White open in the corner. It worked exactly as intended and the open three was missed.
In any case when you diagram a play as you did where three players move to the same spot that's probably not leading to success.

Nope. White ended up taking a contested 3. Ifbhe opted to attack inside, that would have been an easy jumper for him, or a lob to a teaamate. My point was why always chuck a 3. They are down, try taking higher percentage shots, not jack off the 1st available 3, especially if shooting was off all night.
Our guys are lazy af. Always trying for the home run when down. Too lazy to grind it out.

This is not a contested three. It's a much better shot than crowding three guys into the same space hoping you somehow get a dunk out of it.

[exculpatory]

I have no confidence in this team whatsoever & have not for a few years…W or L tonight, W or L this series.
7 has a great skill set in certain areas - but also has fatal flaws in his game & is dumb as a rock (aside from being a mother **** scumbag).
JT has immense talent, but too often plays like a pussy with no DAWG in him. Truth used to get a ‘killer’ look’ on his face - when it really mattered. So did Kobe & many other clutch closers.
No closer on this team I trust.
And our coach belongs in the Icelandic league.
Absent Zinger, we need a lot from DWhite & Jrue.

Donovan has real balls at 6’ 1-2”.

[tfmiii]

Admittedly I wasn't watching the 4th quarter super closely because I started writing the postgame thread once it looked like we were headed toward a loss. But unless Tatum was extremely terrible while I wasn't paying attention I'm honestly confused about all the blame he's getting. He was the best Celtic on the floor during the other 3 quarters and we lost that game because of poor team defense and poor team shooting. So yeah I'm kinda wondering what I missed.

I think the frustration with JT has several sources:
- One segment wants JT to take over when things are heading off the rails - fairly or unfairly as our most talented player (and in his own mind as well) that comes with the territory - unfortunately for him and us he doesn't have reliable go to moves to generate points. Too many 3s for a player who is at best average at them, and often worse than average
- More than that, he floats or disappears. Call it team ball but regardless he should touch the ball each possession. Perhaps a reason he doesn't is because...
- he is a drag on our offense. Not gravity -wise but pace-wise. Even though a willing passer he often holds the ball like a chicken hatching an egg before "deciding" what to do. That just allows the defense to catch a breath and set up and limits our offense. And when he walks the ball up the court... Ugh
- His attitude - he doesn't evince urgency or burning desire to win - his smile/laugh in post game press conference. You have to wonder what effect it has on teammates. Has this tendency been encouraged by Joe's "oh the numbers will even out" school of anti-coaching? Perhaps... Edit, attitude in bitching at refs and letting it take him out of the game
- Edit, neglected to include the quality of the shots he does take - ugly fall aways or flailing for fouls on the way to the hoop rather than taking the shot and letting the refs sort the rest

[Triple7]

White was open in the corner. Open corner three is one of the best shots in the game.
There were no cutting angles. What would White cutting baseline accomplish? They are already sagging off. If White drove the close out and Tatum also cut, maybe we get a better shot but probably not because open corner three is a better scoring opportunity than basically anything that's not an open layup or free throws. Also that's not drop coverage.
The play was to get Tatum on Mitchell, which resulted in the defense shifting up to prevent Tatum drive, leaving White open in the corner. It worked exactly as intended and the open three was missed.
In any case when you diagram a play as you did where three players move to the same spot that's probably not leading to success.

Nope. White ended up taking a contested 3. Ifbhe opted to attack inside, that would have been an easy jumper for him, or a lob to a teaamate. My point was why always chuck a 3. They are down, try taking higher percentage shots, not jack off the 1st available 3, especially if shooting was off all night.
Our guys are lazy af. Always trying for the home run when down. Too lazy to grind it out.

This is not a contested three. It's a much better shot than crowding three guys into the same space hoping you somehow get a dunk out of it.

Its contested.
and even so, he can’t fake it out and try to get inside?
That would have been an easy jumps shot for him. If the drfender helps, easy lob dunk for Kornet. Everyone is just caught up looking. No chance for a rebound. Same problem with JT. White was off all night, and still wanted to chuck a 3. Its just laughable and frustrating to watch.

[BK_2020]

Tatum barely holds the ball compared to other high usage players. I don't know why people think he slows down the offense. Maybe it's the two or three times a game he gets a big mismatched and sizes them up?

[Triple7]

Admittedly I wasn't watching the 4th quarter super closely because I started writing the postgame thread once it looked like we were headed toward a loss. But unless Tatum was extremely terrible while I wasn't paying attention I'm honestly confused about all the blame he's getting. He was the best Celtic on the floor during the other 3 quarters and we lost that game because of poor team defense and poor team shooting. So yeah I'm kinda wondering what I missed.

I think the frustration with JT has several sources:
- One segment wants JT to take over when things are heading off the rails - fairly or unfairly as our most talented player (and in his own mind as well) that comes with the territory - unfortunately for him and us he doesn't have reliable go to moves to generate points. Too many 3s for a player who is at best average at them, and often worse than average
- More than that, he floats or disappears. Call it team ball but regardless he should touch the ball each possession. Perhaps a reason he doesn't is because...
- he is a drag on our offense. Not gravity -wise but pace-wise. Even though a willing passer he often holds the ball like a chicken hatching an egg before "deciding" what to do. That just allows the defense to catch a breath and set up and limits our offense. And when he walks the ball up the court... Ugh
- His attitude - he doesn't evince urgency or burning desire to win - his smile/laugh in post game press conference. You have to wonder what effect it has on teammates. Has this tendency been encouraged by Joe's "oh the numbers will even out" school of anti-coaching? Perhaps

I agree with this.

[meatball sub]

just win the **** game and stop **** around

[BK_2020]

Nope. White ended up taking a contested 3. Ifbhe opted to attack inside, that would have been an easy jumper for him, or a lob to a teaamate. My point was why always chuck a 3. They are down, try taking higher percentage shots, not jack off the 1st available 3, especially if shooting was off all night.
Our guys are lazy af. Always trying for the home run when down. Too lazy to grind it out.

This is not a contested three. It's a much better shot than crowding three guys into the same space hoping you somehow get a dunk out of it.

Its contested.
and even so, he can’t fake it out and try to get inside?
That would have been an easy jumps shot for him. If the drfender helps, easy lob dunk for Kornet. Everyone is just caught up looking. No chance for a rebound. Same problem with JT. White was off all night, and still wanted to chuck a 3. Its just laughable and frustrating to watch.

It is already an easy shot. He was 42% from corners this season and 38.6% for his career. Even if he could've gotten a 55% shot (which is already overestimating how much easier an 18 footer off the dribble is compared to a 22 ft shot) by taking one dribble in, that's a much worse opportunity.

[Bar Fight]

Win or we're some frauds.

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

People need to chill out on JT, he will give everything he has when all the chips are on the table. I think the Celtics haven’t really be tested this season which caused somewhat of a laid back approach at times. I think they need a wake up call & last game might have done it, we’ll see.

The “needs a wake up call” card is an interesting one given that they’ve ignored multiple wake up calls in the last two post seasons. At some point you have to just be awake, and they’re lead by a guy content to coast and have things handed to him.

I agree with this, but I also wonder if JT is trying to learn the lesson of balance between giving enough to get to the finals and not being completely gassed and semi injured by the finals like 2022. Or at least I hope that is somewhat behind not going super hard every game.

[Froob]

Washed the shirt I wear only for playoff games. Forgot to wash it last year so still had a stain on it. Let’s go

[London2Boston]

This game is so late when the Western game was so early. Fortunately it’s Saturday and I can stay up for it.

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

Tatum barely holds the ball compared to other high usage players. I don't know why people think he slows down the offense. Maybe it's the two or three times a game he gets a big mismatched and sizes them up?

Both are true at different times IMO. There have been plenty of times when the ball has stuck with him much longer than it should outside of the scenario you mention than White/Jrue/PP/Al/KP/Hauser.

He needs to improve with this, but does get too harshly criticised too.

[Dainis]

Washed the shirt I wear only for playoff games. Forgot to wash it last year so still had a stain on it. Let’s go

I washed my shirt today and immediately spilled mustard on it. No wonder my mom and friends sometimes call me a little piglet.

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

Washed the shirt I wear only for playoff games. Forgot to wash it last year so still had a stain on it. Let’s go

So that’s why we lost game 2.

You owe JT an apology.

[Fierce1]

This is going to be JT's first 30 points or more in the playoffs game.

It's too obvious.

[CelticsPride18]

Dean Wade active. Probably another bum that will lock up bitchass Tatum

[Fierce1]

Dean Wade active. Probably another bum that will lock up bitchass Tatum

Nobody's locking up Tatum.

It's when Wade shoots 3s like he's Sam Hauser is what's going to be a problem.

[zoyathedestroya]

Some of us may find our superstar lacking, but he's all we got. So let's just pray to the basketball gods for the rims to be kind to him and make his shot fall. Also praying for Joe to realize that "offball Tatum" doesn't have to be him just standing on a corner not doing anything.

[Bird84]

Some of us may find our superstar lacking, but he's all we got. So let's just pray to the basketball gods for the rims to be kind to him and make his shot fall. Also praying for Joe to realize that "offball Tatum" doesn't have to be him just standing on a corner not doing anything.

We live and die by the 3s. It's just what we are. Hopefully they'll fall tonight.