NBA Eastern Conf. Finals: Gm 2 – Celtics (0) vs Heat (1) – 7:00PM, Thur. 09/17/20

[SmartWentCrazy]

Exceedingly confident we win tomorrow

[GotDaSauce]

We should win this series.. Set better screens for Kemba for God's sake! That was his bread and butter in the regular season.

I would consider playing Kanter. I watched Jokic who's a complete stiff play out there and I'm starting to think that Kanter can punish these guys on the glass. Maybe I'm crazy, but I would actually try it if I was Brad. Go Theis then Kanter. Kanter can just blitz the screen and get back, long 2s are alright.

I like what Kanter brings but if you watch the 3 minutes he was out against Toronto again you might rethink this. He got absolutely torched on defense and Brad had one of the quickest triggers I have ever seen from him. So he might get you buckets and rebounds but theres a good chance he gives up double in points on the other end.

[celticfan42487]

Staff better stop playing conservative with Hayward and play him in game 2, even if he's 80%/90%. Dude's nearing the end of his max contract and has done absolutely nothing to merit it. Given the injury was out of his control, but point is the Celtics are at an optimum time right now to win it all (Clips and Bucks gone), so might as well risk it with your max player trying to finally prove his worth (or even at least part of it). If they go down 0-2, at least go down with the team at near full force. Wait until game 3 and possibly down 0-2 to bring him back and it's just gonna be more pressure on him and the team.

I forget who posted it on this board but it was a dose of truth.

Grade 3 full tears of someone's ankle is a 6-12 week injury.

It won't be week 6 till the Finals start.

This isn't the staff being conservative with Hayward, it's a complete absurdity to expect him to be ready at any point in this series, and it would be a miracle for him to not only be ready but be PLAYOFFS level game shape ready in the Finals.

This is a completely unfair expectation being put on Hayward (again) by a media that just wants to have something to write about.

Stevens never said anything medical about him but is just putting the possibility out there so he can at least feint a Hayward in game 5 - 7 by not officially ruling him out. The Heat aren't morons and won't worry about it but **** it might as well play that card if you have it.

[celticfan42487]

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Yeah it was more a foul on Kemba than anything upon replay. Lowers his shoulder into DJJ who then of course knocks over Smart. Definitely the design of the play there is to trick the refs, and they did. Pretty funny that the L2M report has three wrong calls, all benefiting the Celtics. And the bitching in the gamethread that the refs were favoring the Heat lmao

Not surprising though.

Watching the game I thought we dramatically got the favorability of the officiating all night. There was at least 5 times where I thought **** we got bailed out/got luck there.

Still can't believe we lost and we can win if the calls don't go our way but damn, got the benefit of the whistle last game for sure.

[celticfan42487]

I wish we could swap Kemba with Jrue Holiday.

I love watching gritty get up in you defense, and the thought of Jru/Smart/Brown/Tatum is just filthy

I'm not going to lie Jrue Holiday would be perfect for this team.

Of course I prefer the Jru/Brown/Tatum/Hayward version.

But he would be perfect on this team with an ascended Tatum.

I don't know WHY the Pelicans would do it, but I wouldn't mind if we traded Kemba, our 3 first rounders for Jrue.

He would be that good of a fit and with him at PG you have no one you can pick on defense in the playoffs it would make us just a really impossible out. Just no one to pick on and switching everywhere.

All we'd need to do is get lucky with a free agent Center or have Rob Williams ascend to get someone as good as Bam at on defense at center and you're then looking at like 2004 Pistons 2008 Celtics potential defense for the modern era (no low post defense but exceptional ball hawks and pick and roll defense).

[JHTruth]

I wish we could swap Kemba with Jrue Holiday.

I love watching gritty get up in you defense, and the thought of Jru/Smart/Brown/Tatum is just filthy

I'm not going to lie Jrue Holiday would be perfect for this team.

Of course I prefer the Jru/Brown/Tatum/Hayward version.

But he would be perfect on this team with an ascended Tatum.

I don't know WHY the Pelicans would do it, but I wouldn't mind if we traded Kemba, our 3 first rounders for Jrue.

He would be that good of a fit and with him at PG you have no one you can pick on defense in the playoffs it would make us just a really impossible out. Just no one to pick on and switching everywhere.

All we'd need to do is get lucky with a free agent Center or have Rob Williams ascend to get someone as good as Bam at on defense at center and you're then looking at like 2004 Pistons 2008 Celtics potential defense for the modern era (no low post defense but exceptional ball hawks and pick and roll defense).

Depends, if this Kemba is who we get every playoffs then sure. Otherwise that team would be an a distinct offensive disadvantage..

[100proof]

I wish we could swap Kemba with Jrue Holiday.

I love watching gritty get up in you defense, and the thought of Jru/Smart/Brown/Tatum is just filthy

I'm not going to lie Jrue Holiday would be perfect for this team.

Of course I prefer the Jru/Brown/Tatum/Hayward version.

But he would be perfect on this team with an ascended Tatum.

I don't know WHY the Pelicans would do it, but I wouldn't mind if we traded Kemba, our 3 first rounders for Jrue.

He would be that good of a fit and with him at PG you have no one you can pick on defense in the playoffs it would make us just a really impossible out. Just no one to pick on and switching everywhere.

All we'd need to do is get lucky with a free agent Center or have Rob Williams ascend to get someone as good as Bam at on defense at center and you're then looking at like 2004 Pistons 2008 Celtics potential defense for the modern era (no low post defense but exceptional ball hawks and pick and roll defense).

IMO that is an overpay for him.

But he would be fun as the pg here

[celticfan42487]

I wish we could swap Kemba with Jrue Holiday.

I love watching gritty get up in you defense, and the thought of Jru/Smart/Brown/Tatum is just filthy

I'm not going to lie Jrue Holiday would be perfect for this team.

Of course I prefer the Jru/Brown/Tatum/Hayward version.

But he would be perfect on this team with an ascended Tatum.

I don't know WHY the Pelicans would do it, but I wouldn't mind if we traded Kemba, our 3 first rounders for Jrue.

He would be that good of a fit and with him at PG you have no one you can pick on defense in the playoffs it would make us just a really impossible out. Just no one to pick on and switching everywhere.

All we'd need to do is get lucky with a free agent Center or have Rob Williams ascend to get someone as good as Bam at on defense at center and you're then looking at like 2004 Pistons 2008 Celtics potential defense for the modern era (no low post defense but exceptional ball hawks and pick and roll defense).

Depends, if this Kemba is who we get every playoffs then sure. Otherwise that team would be an a distinct offensive disadvantage..

True. It would be putting a lot on Tatum and telling him to become Durant on offense.

But I think the advantage we gain form having an all-star PG what can switch on ANYONE. In the modern pick and roll switch defense.

I think that's something that would potentially put us above anyone else on defense come playoff time.

The entire Raptors series was about getting the switch on Kemba for TOR and we couldn't do that on the other end because Lowry and FVV despite their size are good defenders. Especially Lowry.

Put Jrue with Brown, Tatum, Hayward/Smart. Bascially that's telling the other teams to get **** and we can make up for any potential offense downside by just running the ball down their throats after the added turnovers and off missed shots. Tatum is already elite at scoring as a one man fast break. Brown is showing some potential in the TOR season that unless you stop him with the ball he is going to score a layup no matter what.

Again it'd be short of a Bam like defender at Center to be complete. But if we got a Bam like Center (dominate defender for 1-5 including LeBron, Tatum, anyone you name it he **** them up one on one on defense) and we'd be like the inverse Warriors. We'd dominate by not allowing the other team to ever get a good shot off and we just get it on transition.

[BRUNiNHO91]

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Yeah it was more a foul on Kemba than anything upon replay. Lowers his shoulder into DJJ who then of course knocks over Smart. Definitely the design of the play there is to trick the refs, and they did. Pretty funny that the L2M report has three wrong calls, all benefiting the Celtics. And the bitching in the gamethread that the refs were favoring the Heat lmao

I thought the refs were blatantly favoring the Heat in the late third quarter and much of the fourth. They stopped once the game was close again, which is why it won't show in the L2M report.

Lol. Seriously bro. It's like people just started watching NBA basketball yesterday.

[djFan71]

We need Hayward! Miami has too many weapons, and their bench is destroying ours. We need him back now.

I agree that we need Gordon but really doubt we are getting prime Hayward for at least 2 or 3 games after he comes back. Who knows where the series will be at that point or whether he even gets that far before leaving again. Kemba and JB are the ones that need to step up and anyone GH can give us is just the cherry on top.

Hayward isn't coming to save this team. Even if he does come back my guess is he won't be game speed ready and I can see him being tentative after yet another injury. If the Celtics plan on getting by Miami they have to do it with the personal they currently have.

He just has to be better than Semi/Grant for 20 minutes or so. Seems more likely it'll be game 3 with a few more days to practice, etc, but I think he can do that if he's even 90%.

[Jaqua92]

Apparently in the bubble...butler is getting free throws at a historic rate. For comparisons sake, Hardens career FT rate is like 0.501..butler this post season is at over 0.800.

You gotta plan around that

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[jfs1000d]

So yah

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He's playing so it doesn't matter. Either don't play or produce when you do.

I agree here.

If you go out and play you have to perform. Also up to Stevens to adjust if you can’t do what you typically do.


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[carnageta]

I am starting to feel really nervous about this series.

This is the type of posting on other teams boards that I can get behind.

Lol.. I gotta say, respect to you guys and this Boston Celtic forum. At least ya'll can take some light-hearted jokes.

The Milwaukee Bucks board used to ban me for 24 hours lmao

[crimsonandblue]

I predicted a blowout loss going into game 1 and a series win in 6. Stevens will make adjustments like he usually does and Brown will play better. We can beat the Heat even with terrible Kemba play. As long as we don't miss all our shots next game it should be a W

[ConstableGeneva]

Ainge, because he's not blind, says Kemba hasn't played well. He also suggests that we involve other players on offense particularly Jaylen. He thought we got fatigued in the 4th Q of game 1 and tried to slow the game down instead putting our foot on the gas pedal when we had the 14-pt lead.

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2020/09/16/danny-ainge-celtics-criticism-eastern-conference-finals-heat

“Kemba hasn’t played well, I think he would be the first one to admit that,” Ainge explained in the Wednesday morning interview. “I think the defense and the opponents that we’re playing have something to do with it. I think that when they make it really hard on guys — and I’ve experienced this myself, I’ve seen players much better than myself experience it — they make it really hard on you, and then when you do get that open one it’s just more difficult.

“He’s got to figure it out, and I’m confident that he will,” Ainge concluded.

“I think we’ve got to get more people involved in the offense,” Ainge noted. “I think Jaylen Brown has a lot to offer this group, and we just forgot about him and didn’t really do anything to exploit his advantages. We’ve got to continue moving the ball, we’ve got to continue to not just pound the ball so early. We’ve got to keep the foot on the gas when we have a lead, like I said it’s easy to do when you’re playing from behind.”

[Disinformation]

I was screaming "Get the ball to Jaylen!" during overtime. So frustrating.

[ConstableGeneva]

I do think that's the "cost" of having that superstar/alpha/whatever you want to call it. At the end of games, you want the ball in their hands and trust them to make the right play. Some of us are even frustrated with or mock Giannis/Simmons for not wanting the ball in crunch time or not being able to do anything due to their lack of shooting.

Pierce, Lebron, MJ, KD, Curry, Mitchell, whoever star it is... in close games, they demand the ball and you hope they get you that win. "Give him the ball and get out of his way." Don't even know how many times fans say this.

I personally prefer Stevens plays over iso from Tatum/Kyrie/Kemba but it is what it is. Part of the learning process and growth of Tatum is to be in these situations. He still lacks the strength and savvy to finish through contact (e.g. Butler's final drive) and his handle is still too high/loose to have confidence in him dribbling through traffic. (Not much you can do with that Bam block though.) Guy's only what? 19? I'll be worried once he turns 20 and his progression stops.

[ConstableGeneva]

Miami offense is so annoying to defend. You fall asleep for half a second, get caught ball-watching, make the wrong rotation, or overplay just a bit, you get burned.

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We have to be sharper on defense than we displayed in game 1. They outscored us 48-26 in the paint and had 15 uncontested threes.

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[NPZ]

Lol.. I gotta say, respect to you guys and this Boston Celtic forum. At least ya'll can take some light-hearted jokes.

The Milwaukee Bucks board used to ban me for 24 hours lmao

Yeah, the Celtfans on this board aren't bad imo. Other side of the coin, Lakafan draw some super paranoid and hypersensitive Nuggs fans right off the bat. They take compliments like disses. That mod The Rebel reminds me of Gyp from Boardwalk.

[Trilogy25]

Go Celtics