Celtics (43-22) vs Trail Blazers (30-37) – 3:30PM, Sun., Aug 2, 2020

[PierceFan4ever]

When the biggest takeaway from the first game was Jayson Tatum struggling then you know this team was set. Jayson Tatum is the least player you should be worried about after the way he’s been playing most of the year that’s why I felt super good after the bucks even though we got robbed. Kemba looking good, Hayward looking good were the 2 biggest check marks. Then seeing Smart and Brown balling was nice too. If our 5 main guys are healthy then this team is capable of beating anyone

[24istheLAW]

I LOVE how Gordon is playing! Really the heartbeat of the offensive flow. Mixing it up on the boards too. When he's involved we're a different team.

[Homerclease]

It would seem that Tatum remembered how to shoot a basketball. Funny, that didn’t take long at all. Keep the starters minutes down and the team healthy for the postseason. That’s all that matters now. Who we play and what seed we are means nothing.

[steefP2]

Ariza not being there just kills the Blazers. Still wouldn’t have enough but it’s absurd now. Melo, Collins and Hezonja forced to defend all star wings is ugly

[ConstableGeneva]

CJ, Dame, and Melo a combined 6/24. I think they combined for 10,000 points in their 1st game. Our D holding them down so far. Props to Kemba on his D on CJ. Smart is in Lillard's jersey.

[Shak_Celts]

don't like that possession make or miss.

[Shak_Celts]

our help d is trippin on nurk, you gotta come over if u are kemba or hay. if it isn't coming late we help for no reason.

[steefP2]

Geez Hayward shave already

[hugepatsfan]

The 36.7% is fools gold. Extremely low volume and only takes it on wide open shots. Defense doesn’t pay him the slightest bit of respect as a shooter and it mucks up spacing if we have other non shooters are on the floor with him.

Agreed, but we only want him as a low volume, bail out scorer. If the percentage gets respectable, but only in the context of wide open shots, that's fine, because his role is to only take wide open shots, and an efficient outcome on the shots we want him taking is only a good thing.

Do still want to see a few more percentage points added to that 36.7 though.

He's never going to be a featured / high minute player. You just want your depth guys to bring a few useful things to the table.

Yeah exactly, and to be fair many players never become a 36% 3 point player from open 3s. See Rondo, ect.

If he can keep that up and extend the areas where he can hit it at that range that's good enough to keep a defender a couple steps from him and keep them from packing the paint on a Cetlic drive by Kemba or Tatum.

That said yeah Semi is... alright. Not a crucial piece based on his limited offensive abilities.

It’s not that I’d want Semi taking lots of threes. It’s just that we need the defense to respect his shot. Guys just sag off of him and clog the paint. It’s 5 and 4 a lot of the times when he’s out there. It’s not the **** he makes or misses that kill us, it’s the extra defensive attention he gives the defense the flexibility to dedicate to our stars.

[MagicBagley18]

Get deuce in the building every game

[ConstableGeneva]

Tatum with a **** alls y'all fadeaway three.

[ConstableGeneva]

Hayward with a floater and forward pass to Brown for the dunk.

[Shak_Celts]

ok defense, let's get back to hustling!

[SMTBSI]

Sneak peak of a playoff rotation in the first half of this one, methinks. Very little Wanamaker, and just enough Grant/Semi to provide a break.

[Feed Your Head]

Just bringing this into this thread, because I think we have a real nickname for Tatum.

YAAAAASSSSS!!! A++++

Only one of these two threads will make it to RealGM's Hall of Fame. Sorry, bud.

The Comedian has made my day. Jayson “The Sample” Tatum.

[steefP2]

Good time out again. Don’t want Portland to get too comfortable. Keep the foot on their neck

[themoneyteam2]

Kemba clearly has his burst back. That’s the most important takeaway to me. He looks 100%!

[themoneyteam2]

Read on Twitter

Drag him!

[Bill Lumbergh]

I don't know why Brad insists on sticking with Theis on Nurkic. It's one of the few matchups where Kanter is actually better. Be a little flexible.

[Green89]

Unfair that all four of our scorers are going off at the same time. Lax defense has contributed to that, but still.

Smart just chilling and finding his guys. Kanter eating all the misses.

It's like they all needed a game to get going. Too bad it was the Bucks and not the Wiz in game 1.

Hayward and Kemba played well last game despite tough Bucks D albeit no Bledsoe to cover Kemba. Brown scored a bunch but could've been more efficient. Tatum was the only real outlier.

Kemba was the only starter I thought looked like his normal scoring self in game 1. Hayward looked hesitant (but looked better in the 2nd half) and the starters aside from Kemba went 5/23 from deep.