GT: R2G2 Celtics (1-0) @ Champs (0-1), Tuesday 5:30 PM TV: SPORTSNET ESPN Radio: TSN RADIO 1050 TORONTO

[pilkoids]

Interesting pull from Blake Murphy's piece yesterday.

Credit Marcus Smart for being the variance king in this one. He only hit 21 corner 3s all year (at 33.3 percent, no less) and didn’t even attempt one in the first round. He was 5-for-7 in the corners Sunday, with most of them coming as a defender scrambled out to him after helping elsewhere (plus that one sweet off-the-dribble fade)

There is something about Kyle Lowry that brings this out in Marcus Smart. I think Smart believes he can be a better version of Kyle but he has never got there because he can't shoot it, but he always tries so hard against Kyle.

I've always felt that Smart would be the perfect successor to Kyle - similar players in terms of toughness/defense. Smart has seemed to have matured quite a bit over the past 2 years as well. Boston's never letting him go though.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Interesting pull from Blake Murphy's piece yesterday.

Credit Marcus Smart for being the variance king in this one. He only hit 21 corner 3s all year (at 33.3 percent, no less) and didn’t even attempt one in the first round. He was 5-for-7 in the corners Sunday, with most of them coming as a defender scrambled out to him after helping elsewhere (plus that one sweet off-the-dribble fade)

There is something about Kyle Lowry that brings this out in Marcus Smart. I think Smart believes he can be a better version of Kyle but he has never got there because he can't shoot it, but he always tries so hard against Kyle.

He always tries hard. He's shooting .275 from 3 for his career against Toronto with a .451 TS (2nd lowest % against all teams). Given the sample size is the largest of all other teams, I think you could argue he plays worse against us than any other team.

[Yeezus_]

Interesting pull from Blake Murphy's piece yesterday.

There is something about Kyle Lowry that brings this out in Marcus Smart. I think Smart believes he can be a better version of Kyle but he has never got there because he can't shoot it, but he always tries so hard against Kyle.

I've always felt that Smart would be the perfect successor to Kyle - similar players in terms of toughness/defense. Smart has seemed to have matured quite a bit over the past 2 years as well. Boston's never letting him go though.

Smart's a better defender but is no where near the level of a playmaker and floor general that Kyle is.

[HeadtopChunes]

If our centers remain mostly ineffective still, i expect to see some small ball

[nabbs]

MARK MY WORDS:


If Boucher plays in this series, he is a difference maker.


- He is an excellent offensive rebounder (Celtics are not a good defensive rebounding team)

- He is our best roll man/lob threat which forces weakside to tag the roller and messes with Boston's help defense on our shooters

- He had one of the highest contest/block rates of three point shots per 36 in the league


Pure chaos. We need it

[mtcan]

MARK MY WORDS:


If Boucher plays in this series, he is a difference maker.


- He is an excellent offensive rebounder (Celtics are not a good defensive rebounding team)

- He is our best roll man/lob threat which forces weakside to tag the roller and messes with Boston's help defense on our shooters

- He had one of the highest contest/block rates of three point shots per 36 in the league


Pure chaos. We need it

Boston purposely going with Robert Williams instead of Enes Kantor to minimize Marc's impact defensively. We need to match up accordingly

[nabbs]

MARK MY WORDS:


If Boucher plays in this series, he is a difference maker.


- He is an excellent offensive rebounder (Celtics are not a good defensive rebounding team)

- He is our best roll man/lob threat which forces weakside to tag the roller and messes with Boston's help defense on our shooters

- He had one of the highest contest/block rates of three point shots per 36 in the league


Pure chaos. We need it

Boston purposely going with Robert Williams instead of Enes Kantor to minimize Marc's impact defensively. We need to match up accordingly

Think they like Williams as a lob threat plus his contest on shots. Boucher literally serves the same role but I think he is more effective than Williams

Watch on YouTube

Boucher in this string of clips alone blocks shots, deters shots at the rims, grabs offensive boards and runs in transition putting pressure on the Celtics D. It's literally a perfect matchup for him. Not a single soul on the Celtics can physically outmatch him.

[Dalek]

There is something about Kyle Lowry that brings this out in Marcus Smart. I think Smart believes he can be a better version of Kyle but he has never got there because he can't shoot it, but he always tries so hard against Kyle.

I've always felt that Smart would be the perfect successor to Kyle - similar players in terms of toughness/defense. Smart has seemed to have matured quite a bit over the past 2 years as well. Boston's never letting him go though.

Smart's a better defender but is no where near the level of a playmaker and floor general that Kyle is.

Nope, but as a complimentary piece there are few players like him. I remember Smart's draft year I wanted him for Toronto badly because I saw the same things, thinking he would be the next Kyle with a bit more athleticism. I still think he is a starter on a contender, but not quite at the level of Kyle but he just makes winning plays and throws his body on the line.

He is still only 26, younger than Norman Powell.

[nabbs]

Read on Twitter

[True North]

Oh brother

[rocky_da_best]

MARK MY WORDS:


If Boucher plays in this series, he is a difference maker.


- He is an excellent offensive rebounder (Celtics are not a good defensive rebounding team)

- He is our best roll man/lob threat which forces weakside to tag the roller and messes with Boston's help defense on our shooters

- He had one of the highest contest/block rates of three point shots per 36 in the league


Pure chaos. We need it

Get this guy on line 1 with Nurse. Every thread your analysis is on point.

[Clutch0z24]

Nick Nurse won't change any game plan and go with Gasol for 30+ mins tonight thinking we just had an off game....Not realizing how unplayable he is this series....If we lose game 2 and Gasol plays alot of mins and has 0 impact Nurse is to blame for not giving Boucher/Ibaka most of the run at C

[scopy]

If I remember correctly playoff Tony Brothers usually good to us vs regular season Tony Brothers. Really hope it's not 5v7 this game.

He's brought in to help us.

The league needs more series to be extended to make up for lost revenue.

All 4 semis to go to game 7s.

There's my conspiracy theory for the day.

[scopy]

Read on Twitter

Interesting.

Like everything comes down to execution.

If I am open 100% of the time vs Steph Curry being open 100% of the time, there will be an obvious difference in results.

(I will smoke him)

[lobosloboslobos]

earlier this year when we were playing our bench mob as a unit they were killing teams. i'd love to see a bit of that. don't forget Rondae. Thoe guys are hungry and can play well at both ends:

TD12
Rondae
Boucher
Matt Thomas
Norm

[ruckus]

Is anyone else completely calm as hell right now? In the past, I'd be fretting and analyzing stuff trying to see how the Raps can get an edge, any edge over their opponent.

Ever since the 'ship, all that stuff doesn't matter anymore. I trust Nurse's gameplan, I trust Masai's vision for the future beyond these playoffs and I trust the players will execute the plan to the best of their ability.

Once the game starts, that'll be a different story but I got confidence that our guys will bounce back today.

[Zeno]

I wanted Serge to start game 1 instead of Gasol but now I think the move might be start Norm in place of both and go small to start, and then play the Gasol, Ibaka jumbo lineup when Robert Williams is on the court and zone up. But that might be too desperate a move for game 2.

[Anticon]

Nick Nurse won't change any game plan and go with Gasol for 30+ mins tonight thinking we just had an off game....Not realizing how unplayable he is this series....If we lose game 2 and Gasol plays alot of mins and has 0 impact Nurse is to blame for not giving Boucher/Ibaka most of the run at C

Unfortunately I worry this is the case. He doesn't seem to have the same inventiveness against Boston as other teams. I worry he won't makes changes until game 3.

[Anticon]

Is anyone else completely calm as hell right now? In the past, I'd be fretting and analyzing stuff trying to see how the Raps can get an edge, any edge over their opponent.

Ever since the 'ship, all that stuff doesn't matter anymore. I trust Nurse's gameplan, I trust Masai's vision for the future beyond these playoffs and I trust the players will execute the plan to the best of their ability.

Once the game starts, that'll be a different story but I got confidence that our guys will bounce back today.

I can't say I really trust Nurse but I'm calm too. The series will be won by the better team; if that's us, great. If not, on to the offseason.

[Dalek]

earlier this year when we were playing our bench mob as a unit they were killing teams. i'd love to see a bit of that. don't forget Rondae. Thoe guys are hungry and can play well at both ends:

TD12
Rondae
Boucher
Matt Thomas
Norm

This is the time to use Rondae. He brings a bit of good chaos, offensive rebounding and some gritty man defense that they can use on Tatum. I didn't like the energy from the first game, so maybe adding in RHJ will bring the team's level up. We have better bench depth and it didn't feel like it last game.

Boucher is an interesting gamble but I think pairing Ibaka and Gasol was a better option for the bench.