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LeBron James, "Boston has to beat us."

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Post#41 » by UGA Hayes » Sun Mar 9, 2008 7:05 pm

^But that is the problem. Ultimately on offense usually only one of our big three has a great offensive game. Its not really a culmulative effect in a single game situation, but more of a buffer over a long series.

So the problem is with LeBron is he has the capability potentially to be a buffer in of himself, that is he is so good individually that he can fairly reliably carry the load over a long series.

With that in mind, the really issues is how suffocating is our defense. Is our defense suffocating enough to deal with a once in a generation player, esp one who has improved since being suffocated by SA last year. Stay tuned.
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Post#42 » by humblebum » Sun Mar 9, 2008 9:25 pm

UGA Hayes wrote:^But that is the problem. Ultimately on offense usually only one of our big three has a great offensive game. Its not really a culmulative effect in a single game situation, but more of a buffer over a long series.

So the problem is with LeBron is he has the capability potentially to be a buffer in of himself, that is he is so good individually that he can fairly reliably carry the load over a long series.

With that in mind, the really issues is how suffocating is our defense. Is our defense suffocating enough to deal with a once in a generation player, esp one who has improved since being suffocated by SA last year. Stay tuned.


I agree, that in the endgame, it really comes down to how Boston's defense performs. It almost always comes down to defense when your talking about advancing in the playoffs.

My point above is that people talk about Lebron's offensive abilities (and Kobe's) as if he's the only player who can completely take over a playoff game by scoring and creating for teammates. That is simply not true. My point was that the Celtics have 3 players who can "potentially" do so while Cleveland basically has Lebron who HAS to play that way in order for his team to win against the best of the best.

The reality is that the Celtics have players who can also close out a close game. Lebron is not the ONLY player who's capable of dominating a 4th quarter offensively. KG, Pierce, and/or Ray can all do the same: hit ridiculously difficult shots over and over in the 4th quarter to lead their team to a win.
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Post#43 » by humblebum » Sun Mar 9, 2008 9:29 pm

To clarify my point:

People say that Cleveland has a good enough team to keep it close in the fourth in order for Lebron to take over and lead his team to victory.

My counter?

Boston has a good enough team to keep it close in the fourth quarter in order for Ray, Paul, or Kevin to take over and lead their team to victory.

Just because Lebron has been endlessly hyped as the best closer doesn't mean he is the only closer or that on a given night one of Boston's trio outdoes him in the 4th.
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Post#44 » by Rasheeed!!! » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:10 am

Take out all the injuries, and Cleveland has 45+ wins.......and the best player of the top teams in the East.
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Post#45 » by campybatman » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:42 pm

The thing about James is that if you're Boston or Detroit you can enter a game against Cleveland and believe that LeBron will get his but you must prevent his teammates from beating you. The problem with that reasoning is: LeBron may be that good that he doesn't require that much aid from his teammates that he can wield them to victory seemingly alone. It could feel like they're or everyone is high school opponents to him.

James is like a young Shaquille O'Neal in Orlando. He's such a physical force with his speed, size and strength that likely no one can guard him one-on-one. I mean you would like to think that Boston's combined defensive efforts against LeBron is: The Unstoppable Force versus The Immovable Object. Or the Juggernaut versus The Blob. However, Boston can't have all five of their starters against him. He's an exceptional passer as well. How do you stop that too? LeBron seldom can beat himself because he's capable or skilled enough to do other things to impact a game that you can't limit him to just becoming a scorer. Having experience against playing him is probably your only advantage if you can call that advantage. That is, you try and see if you can limit his damage like you attempt to keep a fire from spreading to unaffected areas of say a house.
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Post#46 » by humblebum » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:55 pm

Rasheeed!!! wrote:Take out all the injuries, and Cleveland has 45+ wins.......and the best player of the top teams in the East.


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Post#47 » by CelticsWhat! » Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:37 pm

Rasheeed!!! wrote:Take out all the injuries, and Cleveland has 45+ wins.......and the best player of the top teams in the East.


Guess what, even WITH the injuries, the Celtics are a 49-win team at the moment. A big difference between the Celtics and Cavs is what happens when LeBron is injured and what happens when KG is injured.
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Post#48 » by conleyorbust » Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:38 pm

I'm a Hawks fan but I have been watching a lot of the Cs because I love the way KG plays.

The way I see it is this. People believe that Bron can single handidly take over a series because he did so against the Pistons. The problem is that the Celtics this season are a lot more like the Cavs finals opponent, the Spurs, than they are like the ECF opponent, the Pistons.

The Cs are the number 1 team in the league on D. They are more versatile and have a front line that is better equipped to deal with the Cleveland offense (Lebron + shooters) than Detroit was last season. Let Pierce play Lebron straight up on the perimeter... he'll get outplayed but he's a good enough defender that he'll make Lebron work and in the end you just have to run him into the teeth of your D like the Spurs did last season and then hope your perimeter players are disciplined enough to close out on shooters. Boston's are.

I see a competitive series but the Cavs just aren't good enough on offense to beat the Celts.
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Post#49 » by humblebum » Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:54 pm

conleyorbust wrote:I'm a Hawks fan but I have been watching a lot of the Cs because I love the way KG plays.

The way I see it is this. People believe that Bron can single handidly take over a series because he did so against the Pistons. The problem is that the Celtics this season are a lot more like the Cavs finals opponent, the Spurs, than they are like the ECF opponent, the Pistons.

The Cs are the number 1 team in the league on D. They are more versatile and have a front line that is better equipped to deal with the Cleveland offense (Lebron + shooters) than Detroit was last season. Let Pierce play Lebron straight up on the perimeter... he'll get outplayed but he's a good enough defender that he'll make Lebron work and in the end you just have to run him into the teeth of your D like the Spurs did last season and then hope your perimeter players are disciplined enough to close out on shooters. Boston's are.

I see a competitive series but the Cavs just aren't good enough on offense to beat the Celts.


This is an excellent post. Boston has possibly the best defensive front-court in the entire NBA. With Pierce's perimeter D, board work, and ability to take charges, Garnett's range, athleticism and timely rotations, and Perkins bulk, length, strength, and attitude the Celtics have a trio of tough and focused defensive players. The C's also bring another decent matchup on the perimeter for Lebron off the bench in James Posey (who's probably just as good or a better defender for Lebron than Tay Prince). Then the C's have strong mobile PF's in Glen Davis and Powe to help out on pick and roll as well as being willing charge takers.

On top of that the Celtics have a defensive maestro of a coach in Tom Thibodeau so you know the schemes on the defensive end are going to be very good.

There are very few teams that are equipped to make Lebron a less efficient offensive player, the Celtics are one of those teams.
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Post#50 » by cisco » Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:58 pm

conleyorbust wrote:I'm a Hawks fan but I have been watching a lot of the Cs because I love the way KG plays.

The way I see it is this. People believe that Bron can single handidly take over a series because he did so against the Pistons. The problem is that the Celtics this season are a lot more like the Cavs finals opponent, the Spurs, than they are like the ECF opponent, the Pistons.

The Cs are the number 1 team in the league on D. They are more versatile and have a front line that is better equipped to deal with the Cleveland offense (Lebron + shooters) than Detroit was last season. Let Pierce play Lebron straight up on the perimeter... he'll get outplayed but he's a good enough defender that he'll make Lebron work and in the end you just have to run him into the teeth of your D like the Spurs did last season and then hope your perimeter players are disciplined enough to close out on shooters. Boston's are.

I see a competitive series but the Cavs just aren't good enough on offense to beat the Celts.


Good post. I agree 100%. Some Celtics fans might be scared of the Cavs and/or Lebron (not me), but I assure you that the Celtics players are not.

Personally, I think the Cavs got worse with the trade. Time will tell though.
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Post#51 » by campybatman » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:25 pm

cisco wrote:Personally, I think the Cavs got worse with the trade. Time will tell though.



Exactly. But, I think I'll agree that perhaps the trade brought in players that can match up with players in Boston's starting line up. However, Wallace is getting older and Ilgauskas is hurting from what I'd read.

You can praise a player and not fear him. I'm not concern personally speaking of Cleveland. My attention is on Detroit. I still see that team as the hurtle for Boston into the NBA finals more so than any other possible playoffs team. But, as I'd said, defense is an important strength to have going for you in the playoffs. The Celtics are a formidable defensive team against any one team that makes the playoffs. For that reason, fans in the east can fear one player but you've to concern yourself for a Boston team that can beat you on the other side of the ball more than they could in out scoring you. I believe the Celtics were one of the top teams in scoring from turnovers when they'd made it as far as the eastern conference finals.

Boston isn't short on confidence. They've the ammunition to back it up on offense and defense. I just hope that Boston can win on the road during the playoffs. It was tough to see them struggle on the road and be outscored (or allow hundred points) to more than one western conference team. Because I think the Celtics players and Thibodeau pride themselves on holding teams under a certain points mark.

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