Post-Game Notes: BOS 114, MIA 117 (0-1)

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Rewatching last 12 minutes of the game. Most of the defensive breakdowns involved Kemba, sadly. Can't defend him on this one. Teammates need to communicate better. Can't surrender those switches up top to Butler readily.

That SLOB play by Spo that led to a WIDE-OPEN three by Crowder was pure genius. He knew we didn't want Kemba on Butler so Jimmy screened for Jae. Tatum tried to follow Butler. Kemba got caught under the screen. Toronto used this too.

We need a bigger PG, plain and simple

[ConstableGeneva]

Rewatching last 12 minutes of the game. Most of the defensive breakdowns involved Kemba, sadly. Can't defend him on this one. Teammates need to communicate better. Can't surrender those switches up top to Butler readily.

That SLOB play by Spo that led to a WIDE-OPEN three by Crowder was pure genius. He knew we didn't want Kemba on Butler so Jimmy screened for Jae. Tatum tried to follow Butler. Kemba got caught under the screen. Toronto used this too.

We need a bigger PG, plain and simple

Would make life easier on defense for sure. And bigger PG can see the floor better on those drives. Point forward Hayward really could've helped. Is Dallas willing to trade Doncic for Kemba?

[pac213up]

Obviously Kemba was bad on both sides. Poor job all around defending the 3 point line. Felt like the team was trying not to lose while Miami was trying to win. Different level of aggressiveness at key times. Feel like a lot of that falls on Stevens. Expect them to adjust and bounce back well though. Enough with the pound the ball for 16 seconds and isolate offense please.

[Jaqua92]

I'm quoting you, but not singling you out as others have said the same as #1 before. I don't think I buy that yet.

* We beat Philly too easily, so no close games there, but that's good in and of itself. Shows toughness holding the leads.

* In Toronto series we were 2-2 in games decided by 5 points or less. 0-1 in the 7 point game. Won 2 blowouts. Against a team that won the finals. (I can't bring myself to say defending champs without Kawhi)

* We lost a tough one tonight.

2 of the losses were on spectacular plays by OG & Bam.
That seems pretty even against good competition and no contest against scrubs from Philly.

If you want to argue the team isn't good enough to cakewalk to the finals without Hayward, i'm all on board. But, to say the team is mentally weak in close games, I don't buy it.

This happened through out the season. I 100% buy it. Closing out close games has been an issue and we've talked about it in every single game thread.

They're a young team without a consistent leader in a high stakes situation. It's natural that these kids need to become experienced men/adults for these situations. But we just aren't there yet. Team is too young to be a legitimate title thread.

26 year Tatum, 27 year old brown, 29 yr old Smart will be much more consistent, resilient and will be able to execute.

This team has a harder time playing to it's potential than any other team.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

The regular season where we lost our starting frontcourt, brought in a new FA and won 2/3 of our games?
Game threads are freak out sessions where people want to fire everyone when we're only up 4 in the 2nd quarter. Of course people whined about losing leads. That's what they do.

People in game threads thought when OG hit his shot the team would crumble, and they didn't. They thought we'd lose after the Raps won game 6 in double OT. They didn't. They came out and grinded out a game 7 series win. But we still want to call them mentally weak?

I mean, it's frustrating losing leads/close games. I get it. But every team does it.
The bolded, I don't even know what to make of. Cs are one of 4 teams left. And, Bucks & Clippers aren't.

I appreciate you challenging me on this, but I feel this is a lot of confirmation bias. It doesn't matter if there are reasons for it during the regular season..it happened. This is a young team. Should have beat Toronto in 5, maybe 6. Should have won last night. When the game is close, it's more in question than it should be. Yesterday was a choke.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[JHTruth]

Much of the focus is on Kemba this morning and rightfully so. He does seem so small and overmatched out there. Not sure he can get us over the top this series.

But in the end I feel Bam was the difference. Theis is just so physically overmatched this series. 4 and 4 and foul out in 35 mins? Now I know I will be lectured about his +12 and how he does all the little things etc. but this kind of production from a starter is just not going to get it done. Really crazy how we're seeing the evolution of the C position going on right now. You must either possess elite level skill like Joker or be an athletic freak like Bam. And the organization has to believe in you. I don't think we have any chance in this series unless Rob plays 20+ mins a night..

[Jaqua92]

Tyler Herro has brass balls. That transition three he took when we went up 5 in regulation was massive. I wish he was on our team.

Herro is now 5/10 (50%) from 3 in clutch minutes in the postseason. Here's the top 6 guys, minimum 5 3PAs:
• Murray - 7/9
• Doncic - 3/5
• Herro - 5/10
• Crowder - 2/5
• Butler - 2/5
• Harden - 2/5

Butler has 50/40/90 splits in the clutch. Main reason they're 6-1 in clutch games this postseason.

Brown is 1/5 from 3. Tatum is 1/8 from 3. Celtics are 5-4 in clutch games this postseason. Tatum has been shooting 21.1% from the field in clutch minutes in the playoffs compared to 50% in the regular season.

Well there's your proof that this team has clutch issues.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[CelticsPride18]

If Hayward was playing last night Kemba would have been on the bench down the stretch.

[JHTruth]

I’ve long felt that Stevens is at his best with a group of gritty underdogs. Give him real talent and he doesn’t know quite how to put the pieces together. We literally had a play in the fourth at the end where Kemba dribbled the ball and jacked a brick. No one else even touched the ball. It’s weird.

I think this as well. Brad can't handle the pressure of real talent where you have to execute down the stretch. Brad isn't a championship coach, I'm more convinced with each game..

[ddb]

I'll drop some encouragement to the forum. The Celtics have now played in 12 playoffs games in the bubble. They either won, or had multiple chances to win in 11 of those games. Game 4 against Toronto was the only game the Celtics lost because they didn't play well enough to win. Factor in that Hayward has been out, and that Kemba has STUNK the last 3 games, and I'd say that I like where things currently stand for Boston.
Miami has been outstanding this postseason. They have all the ingredients to play in the finals....But I still think Boston is the better overall team, especially if Hayward comes back and can contribute. 7-game series for a reason. Boston needs to win Game 2 and take back the momentum. Simple as that. Kemba is going to be better. He's been in a slump. He'll get out of it. Tatum has been awesome. Brown has been good. Smart as been awesome. Wanamaker has been outstanding off the bench. Common guys. There's a lot to be excited about. Eastern Conference finals...Realistic chance at advancing to the finals. The Celtics got this.....

[ddb]

I’ve long felt that Stevens is at his best with a group of gritty underdogs. Give him real talent and he doesn’t know quite how to put the pieces together. We literally had a play in the fourth at the end where Kemba dribbled the ball and jacked a brick. No one else even touched the ball. It’s weird.

I think this as well. Brad can't handle the pressure of real talent where you have to execute down the stretch. Brad isn't a championship coach, I'm more convinced with each game..

I'd say that you're right about Stevens being really good at coaching a group of gritty underdogs. I'd disagree that he isn't a championship level coach. This is the first team he's had that is approaching that level. Jimmy Butler did the same exact thing as Kemba in terms of dribbling the ball and no one else touched the ball...only different is Jimmy made his shot. Kemba just a couple possessions prior nailed a HUGE shot. Having a player go one on one in key possessions is very common. That's not bad coaching. That's putting trust in your best players.

[JHTruth]

Theis would've had Bam sealed on that last play.

Yes, they missed Theis on that last play. No one to seal off Bam.

They should have put in TimeLord to either seal or dive to the rim for the lob to freeze Bam enough to allow Tatum to finish.

[JHTruth]

I’ve long felt that Stevens is at his best with a group of gritty underdogs. Give him real talent and he doesn’t know quite how to put the pieces together. We literally had a play in the fourth at the end where Kemba dribbled the ball and jacked a brick. No one else even touched the ball. It’s weird.

I think this as well. Brad can't handle the pressure of real talent where you have to execute down the stretch. Brad isn't a championship coach, I'm more convinced with each game..

I'd say that you're right about Stevens being really good at coaching a group of gritty underdogs. I'd disagree that he isn't a championship level coach. This is the first team he's had that is approaching that level. Jimmy Butler did the same exact thing as Kemba in terms of dribbling the ball and no one else touched the ball...only different is Jimmy made his shot. Kemba just a couple possessions prior nailed a HUGE shot. Having a player go one on one in key possessions is very common. That's not bad coaching. That's putting trust in your best players.

Brad doesn't know how to utilize real NBA talent. We have one of the biggest vertical spacers in the league and Brad is like "meh". Spo has figured out how to use Bam masterfully. We love try hard guys like Grant and Semi while they get huge production from guys like Herro. At heart he's still the small-college coach trying to take out the Dukes of the world..

[VeryMuchWoke]

I'll drop some encouragement to the forum. The Celtics have now played in 12 playoffs games in the bubble. They either won, or had multiple chances to win in 11 of those games. Game 4 against Toronto was the only game the Celtics lost because they didn't play well enough to win. Factor in that Hayward has been out, and that Kemba has STUNK the last 3 games, and I'd say that I like where things currently stand for Boston.
Miami has been outstanding this postseason. They have all the ingredients to play in the finals....But I still think Boston is the better overall team, especially if Hayward comes back and can contribute. 7-game series for a reason. Boston needs to win Game 2 and take back the momentum. Simple as that. Kemba is going to be better. He's been in a slump. He'll get out of it. Tatum has been awesome. Brown has been good. Smart as been awesome. Wanamaker has been outstanding off the bench. Common guys. There's a lot to be excited about. Eastern Conference finals...Realistic chance at advancing to the finals. The Celtics got this.....

It's frustrating because we're so much more talented, but we played way below our potential. Just a lot of bad iso basketball with no player or ball movement, and while we're in every game, we seem to drop all the close ones. I wish Stevens would get back to drawing up plays down the stretch instead of letting Tatum settle for step-back 30 foot threes. It's also frustrating that with a healthy Hayward we'd be head and shoulders above the **** Heat and their goddamn "heat culture". Oh, and **** Pat Riley forever.

Maybe what we're experiencing is just the downside of being led by a 22 year old phenom and a guy that's never been past the 1st round until this year.

[jfs1000d]

Refs had jack and **** to do with that outcome. Heard fans of many teams saying that on behalf of one team or the other, and the 80s fan in me thinks it is maybe time for them to get their balls out of their mother's purses. This is the **** ECFs.

Heat made big plays. Big shots, big block.

We missed Hayward. No **** way should Wanamaker, the Williams Brothers, and Ojeleye be getting 56 minutes in a ECF game, even if it goes OT. That number would have been 20 with Hayward, with Kemba and Tatum getting to coast a little more to save themselves for crunch time, and Smart would be asked to do a little less. We gassed just as we have been gassing, and that a huge reason why. We are too deep to not have a full clip.

We can take these guys. They have some studs, but just not man enough. I'm not going to say that they have too many white guys in the same breath I am lamenting not having our best white guy, because that would be uncouth, but well... they opened the game with Herro on Tatum. Another one of their guys went to Williams. We can get mad gully on these mother ****.

Agree with Cave.

Make damn plays, get a shot, don’t leave 3 pointer people open.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jaqua92]

I trust Paul Pierce's fade away more than Tatum in clutch time

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[Floody100]

Just watched the game back & was shaking my head as to why Jimmy didn’t get called for an offensive foul in overtime when he got fouled by Tatum ? Was pretty clear he extended his elbow out on Tatum.

[ddb]

everyone needs to relax. It's a 7-game series. Let's see what happens in game 2. I wouldn't be shocked at all to see Boston run away with one.

[FlatearthZorro]

everyone needs to relax. It's a 7-game series. Let's see what happens in game 2. I wouldn't be shocked at all to see Boston run away with one.

Me neither, a bunch of horrible plays prevented the C's from running away with this one and it was a possibility to be a blowout. I actually expect Smart to shut down Dragic next game. Keep Tatum on Butler.

[Green89]

Tatum made a disturbing, un-superstarlike comment post game. Talking about his two shots, he said he just takes whatever the defense gives him. Wow, Brad needs to speak to him ASAP. Elite offensive scorers make the defense adjust to their offense, and instill their offensive talent on the defense, not the other way around. This is not a good mentality to have. This is the complete opposite of Mamba Mentality, where you go out and get your shot, not settling for what you see the defense is allowing you. You don't let the defense get in your way of what you can do out on the floor.

[leper-con]

We would have been better off riding the hot hand of Wannamaker rather than going with Kemba. Wannamakers size caused the HEat issues and he was making shots and defending better that Kemba. Sometimes you jut can't look at the name on the back of the JErsey , some guys just get hot and have a good game.