The Celtics have blown 20+ leads in BOTH GAMES

[cgf]

Why are ppl so high on Boston on this board? None of this surprises me.

Defending champs + 60 wins. Our defense rattled them in the first two, and we’ve got them on the ropes, but this isn’t some joke team…despite having a joke coach.

[tsherkin]

Why are ppl so high on Boston on this board? None of this surprises me.

cgf said it best, but ultimately...

Best offense in the league. Reigning champs. 2 Finals trips in the last 4 seasons, maybe another coming? 61+ wins in consecutive seasons.

They're really good. That's why people are high on them.

[wco81]

They are capable of getting 20-point leads in the next two games at MSG again.

And keeping the leads this time.

They went down 0-3 to the Heat a couple of years ago and won 3 straight to force a game 7 but the Heat escaped.

Say what you want about the Jays, they've had deep playoff runs for almost the past decade. A couple of times they got beat by Miami but they've been to the ECF how many times, like 5 times or so?

[cgf]

They are capable of getting 20-point leads in the next two games at MSG again.

And keeping the leads this time.

They went down 0-3 to the Heat a couple of years ago and won 3 straight to force a game 7 but the Heat escaped.

Say what you want about the Jays, they've had deep playoff runs for almost the past decade. A couple of times they got beat by Miami but they've been to the ECF how many times, like 5 times or so?

Towns should stay out of foul trouble better with the homecrowd roaring at the refs and Boston likely won't have as much luck keeping Brunson & Towns off the line. Throw in some better shooting from our role players and Boston is also capable of going down by 20 at MSG. If that happens, will they have the structure and resiliency to fight back the way the knicks did?

[LFGK]

They are capable of getting 20-point leads in the next two games at MSG again.

And keeping the leads this time.

They went down 0-3 to the Heat a couple of years ago and won 3 straight to force a game 7 but the Heat escaped.

Say what you want about the Jays, they've had deep playoff runs for almost the past decade. A couple of times they got beat by Miami but they've been to the ECF how many times, like 5 times or so?

I think Knicks jump on the Celtics actually game 3 off the beefy of the crowd not sure if a louder atmosphere will exist. Why if they got another lead would they keep it? What have you seen to make you believe that

[jkvonny]

Why are ppl so high on Boston on this board? None of this surprises me.

Defending champs. Won 60 games.

[Lalouie]

the reason the celts can play 50 3pt shots per game and live with the consequences is they have a top5 defense

[tsherkin]

the reason the celts can play 50 3pt shots per game and live with the consequences is they have a top5 defense

That and they've been crushing the offensive glass in the playoffs. They're 6th in the playoffs, but were 15th in the RS.

[Scalabrine]

Great all around players improving their 3 point shot? That's awesome, makes them more versatile and dangerous.

Great all around players spamming 3's all the time? That turns them into just another NBA 3-point shooter.

Indeed. And he isn't a particularly incredible ATB 3pt shooter to begin with; his first couple of seasons were built on corner 3s more than anything else. And then this season, he blew chunks, shot like 34% from 3. That's BRUTAL at 10+ per game. It's no small wonder he was so limply efficient, and worse than his past couple seasons. His passing improved, so his broader offensive utility was there, but man... it's just so disappointing. Clearly, Mazzulla is encouraging this, of course, so I don't want to rag on Tatum specifically TOO much, but JFC, damn.

It's actually pretty nuts to look at his % of FG's based on distance and how it's progressed over the years.

50% of his shots came from 3 this year. Thats just way way too much in my opinion. He's a 34% shooter from there this year. Only have 16% of his shots come from the mid range. The rest are 10 feet and in. I know it's not how the Celtics play, but in a matchup like this, where the Knicks aren't starting a rim protector, he needs to be getting inside the arc more. He tried to do it more this last game but he just wasn't able to do it with the length of OG and Bridges and it didn't feel like he was nearly aggressive enough.

Yeah, it's just way too volatile to support at that proportion. It's nuts. I don't mind him passing on 20-footers and stuff, but he needs to be obliterating the elbows and the baselines a lot more. Even the nail. Those pull-ups are so much more consistent than his 3 ball, and it's so important on those nights when the 3 isn't falling to drive more. Even if you don't get all the way to the rim.

OG and Bridges were brutal, but he was getting the switch onto Mitch and STILL wasn't doing great things, in part because he kept forcing his way to the low side of the post (left side, especially), instead of taking the pull-up or just STARTING from the elbow.

Mitch is surprisingly a really great defender on players his size. He does a good job contesting jumpers without fouling and he's quick enough to stay in front or at least funnel to the weak side. I'm not saying he should be the guy assigned to guarding him, but Im comfortable with him getting switch out to him.

[Kobe187]

Celtics couldn’t score a bucket for like the last 6 minutes of game 2, coaching needs to be a lot better as does player execution, Inexcusable.

Seems like NY just wants it more and it’s evident in the 2nd half when the intensity is at maximum, NY is winning all the 50/50 battles and Boston is settling for 3s, 100 3pt attempts between Tatum & Brown in 2 games is insane, highlights their fear of mucking it up in the paint whereas NY welcomes it, NY enjoys the grind and they play great in the trenches.

[Profound23]

This is why I believe Boston still has a chance. NY hasn't looked good except for crunch time. If Boston cleans up their fourth quarter play and does better than 25% on threes this series becomes 2-2 quickly.

[wco81]

They are capable of getting 20-point leads in the next two games at MSG again.

And keeping the leads this time.

They went down 0-3 to the Heat a couple of years ago and won 3 straight to force a game 7 but the Heat escaped.

Say what you want about the Jays, they've had deep playoff runs for almost the past decade. A couple of times they got beat by Miami but they've been to the ECF how many times, like 5 times or so?

I think Knicks jump on the Celtics actually game 3 off the beefy of the crowd not sure if a louder atmosphere will exist. Why if they got another lead would they keep it? What have you seen to make you believe that

I'm not saying they will.

I'm saying they're capable of it.

It will be hard to eliminate the defending champions.

[tsherkin]

Great all around players improving their 3 point shot? That's awesome, makes them more versatile and dangerous.

Great all around players spamming 3's all the time? That turns them into just another NBA 3-point shooter.

Indeed. And he isn't a particularly incredible ATB 3pt shooter to begin with; his first couple of seasons were built on corner 3s more than anything else. And then this season, he blew chunks, shot like 34% from 3. That's BRUTAL at 10+ per game. It's no small wonder he was so limply efficient, and worse than his past couple seasons. His passing improved, so his broader offensive utility was there, but man... it's just so disappointing. Clearly, Mazzulla is encouraging this, of course, so I don't want to rag on Tatum specifically TOO much, but JFC, damn.

It's actually pretty nuts to look at his % of FG's based on distance and how it's progressed over the years.

50% of his shots came from 3 this year. Thats just way way too much in my opinion. He's a 34% shooter from there this year. Only have 16% of his shots come from the mid range. The rest are 10 feet and in. I know it's not how the Celtics play, but in a matchup like this, where the Knicks aren't starting a rim protector, he needs to be getting inside the arc more. He tried to do it more this last game but he just wasn't able to do it with the length of OG and Bridges and it didn't feel like he was nearly aggressive enough.

Yeah, it's just way too volatile to support at that proportion. It's nuts. I don't mind him passing on 20-footers and stuff, but he needs to be obliterating the elbows and the baselines a lot more. Even the nail. Those pull-ups are so much more consistent than his 3 ball, and it's so important on those nights when the 3 isn't falling to drive more. Even if you don't get all the way to the rim.

OG and Bridges were brutal, but he was getting the switch onto Mitch and STILL wasn't doing great things, in part because he kept forcing his way to the low side of the post (left side, especially), instead of taking the pull-up or just STARTING from the elbow.

Mitch is surprisingly a really great defender on players his size. He does a good job contesting jumpers without fouling and he's quick enough to stay in front or at least funnel to the weak side. I'm not saying he should be the guy assigned to guarding him, but Im comfortable with him getting switch out to him.

Yeah, he did quite well.

[madmaxmedia]

Celtics couldn’t score a bucket for like the last 6 minutes of game 2, coaching needs to be a lot better as does player execution, Inexcusable.

Seems like NY just wants it more and it’s evident in the 2nd half when the intensity is at maximum, NY is winning all the 50/50 battles and Boston is settling for 3s, 100 3pt attempts between Tatum & Brown in 2 games is insane, highlights their fear of mucking it up in the paint whereas NY welcomes it, NY enjoys the grind and they play great in the trenches.

I just thought of this, but if a team's approach is to generally to fire away 3's based on the logic that percentage will even out and they will start to drop, that might lead to a different mentality than playing more inside out. If you're more focused instead on scoring more 2's, you might be a lot more focused on getting closer to the basket and improving shot quality. That's not to say Boston isn't trying to take good 3's, but if a team is really spamming a lot of 3's I think you're generally going to take the first decent look you get.

Maybe it's not that big of a difference, just a thought.

[cgf]

This is why I believe Boston still has a chance. NY hasn't looked good except for crunch time. If Boston cleans up their fourth quarter play and does better than 25% on threes this series becomes 2-2 quickly.

Good luck

[cgf]

Celtics couldn’t score a bucket for like the last 6 minutes of game 2, coaching needs to be a lot better as does player execution, Inexcusable.

Seems like NY just wants it more and it’s evident in the 2nd half when the intensity is at maximum, NY is winning all the 50/50 battles and Boston is settling for 3s, 100 3pt attempts between Tatum & Brown in 2 games is insane, highlights their fear of mucking it up in the paint whereas NY welcomes it, NY enjoys the grind and they play great in the trenches.

I just thought of this, but if a team's approach is to generally to fire away 3's based on the logic that percentage will even out and they will start to drop, that might lead to a different mentality than playing more inside out. If you're more focused instead on scoring more 2's, you might be a lot more focused on getting closer to the basket and improving shot quality. That's not to say Boston isn't trying to take good 3's, but if a team is really spamming a lot of 3's I think you're generally going to take the first decent look you get.

Maybe it's not that big of a difference, just a thought.

Well yeah. That's exactly what has been happening. They aren't trying to work for good shots, they're just trying to jack up enough for the math to save them...but not all 3s are the same and that's not how you find your rhythm.

[NY2k1]

They are capable of getting 20-point leads in the next two games at MSG again.

And keeping the leads this time.

They went down 0-3 to the Heat a couple of years ago and won 3 straight to force a game 7 but the Heat escaped.

Say what you want about the Jays, they've had deep playoff runs for almost the past decade. A couple of times they got beat by Miami but they've been to the ECF how many times, like 5 times or so?

This Knicks team is better than that Heat team.

[stuporman]

[Profound23]

This is why I believe Boston still has a chance. NY hasn't looked good except for crunch time. If Boston cleans up their fourth quarter play and does better than 25% on threes this series becomes 2-2 quickly.

Good luck

Don't put that evil on me. I can't stand anything Boston related. Just saying that's their saving grace.

[omerome]

This is why I believe Boston still has a chance. NY hasn't looked good except for crunch time. If Boston cleans up their fourth quarter play and does better than 25% on threes this series becomes 2-2 quickly.

The fact that NY hasn't looked good except for crunch time means that they can definitely play better and should serve as a concern for Boston.

If they could erase two 20 point deficits, wait until they are playing 48 minutes of good basketball.