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

[Ben-N1ce]

Jaylen needs more touches. At least generally he doesn't dance with the ball and just makes a move putting pressure on the defense. They need to set picks and get downhill. ISO is just bailing them out. Heat basically never ISO except Butler.

[LewisnotMiller]

Kemba's shot might wax and wane, but he's gotta keep aggressively hunting the mid range pull up. It's sets up his driving and passing better than over penetrating early, or tying himself to the 3pt line when he's not feeling it.

And Kanter! Nice minutes, love that burst. Whatever you think about him, respect a vet who cheerleads and stays ready.

[SMTBSI]

All things considered, I'm very happy with what I saw in that half. Kemba being Kemba is massive.

Let's finish the job so we can all sleep soundly tonight.

[steefP2]

Big part of the 2nd quarter: only 2 turnovers after committing 6 in the first

[Triple7]

Whenever the Celtics build a large lead they go away from what was working and resort to dumb basketball with one poor shot/decision after another. Quarter should have ended with a 17 point lead if not more.

Yup. We had a 17 pt lead, and Kemba shot two awful looking shots. The one at the corner used to be money. I guess he maybe gassed already.

[CSL_1904]

A 13 point lead is a 13 point lead. We're much better now than we were at the start of the game.

Need JT to either make his move quicker or move the ball, and JB to be more involved.

24 minutes to go.

[Fencer reregistered]

Some thoughts:

-- This is much better than some alternatives, but of course one shouldn't be comfortable with that lead.
-- Miami seemed to be getting it together toward the end of the half, shot clock violation notwithstanding.
-- Tatum walking the ball up and later taking a bad, deep 3 was discouraging deja vu.
-- I usually hate the JvG/MJ team. Not tonight.
-- I agree that Kemba's slump either wasn't physical, or else got fixed. That's great news.
-- I'm glad Splash Robinson cooled off.
-- Good to see Enes play well. He even had a good defensive sequence or two against a perimeter guy ...
-- ... which fits with the Miami team composition of great shooters who are otherwise meh athletes.
-- I did not see why early on the Celtics had lots of TOs but scored on almost every possession where they didn't turn it over. Perhaps it had something to do with Miami defensive aggression, perhaps in compensation for the aforementioned lack of raw athleticism?

[ConstableGeneva]

Our ceiling is higher than Miami's.

Like with Toronto, we're only the better team if we play like the better team. For at least this half, we showed what we can do when we play both sides of the floor. Can still tighten up that perimeter D. Miami missed a couple of bunnies inside too.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

Good first half but it didn't end particularly strong. Obviously it's good they're ahead but no lead is safe with this team.

[Celticfan_N_FL]

Tatum leads the team in assists and has taken 8 shots lol, people are impossible to please. Dude took one bad iso jumper on the last play of the half.

Kemba needs to continue to be aggressive. Jaylen needs to hit his open jumpers, and keep up his defensive effort.

That happens, and we got this.

He's tied with Theis @ 3 while Walker and Brown have 2 each. Lets not overstate the assist numbers for Tatum.

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[Bill Lumbergh]

All things considered, I'm very happy with what I saw in that half. Kemba being Kemba is massive.

Let's finish the job so we can all sleep soundly tonight.

Hoping we're up by 15 with 2 to go. Don't trust us in close games.

[Celts17Pride]

Whenever the Celtics build a large lead they go away from what was working and resort to dumb basketball with one poor shot/decision after another. Quarter should have ended with a 17 point lead if not more.

Tatum just seems like he's got a compulsion to go iso, over and over.

Tatum is 22. Stevens needs to coach that out of him. He has made big, big improvements from last year. Still has a little way to go.

ISO is necessary sometimes but he does it way too much

[LewisnotMiller]

Jaylen needs more touches. At least generally he doesn't dance with the ball and just makes a move putting pressure on the defense. They need to set picks and get downhill. ISO is just bailing them out. Heat basically never ISO except Butler.

If we are doing the clock management rubbish, there's something to be said for hitting Jaylen up with 8-10 seconds left so he can work for his pull up.

That grab and go one dribble shot is a safer bet than Tatum in terms of getting something clean away, I just don't want him having to use the ball with 20 seconds left.

[Ill News]

I love those pull-up midrange shots from Jaylen. They need to get him going as well.

[SLCceltic]

Whenever the Celtics build a large lead they go away from what was working and resort to dumb basketball with one poor shot/decision after another. Quarter should have ended with a 17 point lead if not more.

The problem is that we do not have enough shooters to put teams away .... Miami is doing it right with all the shooting they have brought in. I suspect DA will add significant shooting to this core

[Fencer reregistered]

Also:

-- Tough lock on Romeo's health.
-- I don't see why the commentators all are fussing about the Cs' offensive rebounding. I didn't really see that on the court or in the numbers.

[exculpatory]

Great D in Q2.
Kemba is really balling finally!
Enes was awesome.
Wake up JT.
Wake up JB.

Beginning of Q3 tells the story - do we come out gangbusters & extend/maintain 13 lead or do we let them back in?

Get it done mother ****!

[celticfan42487]

Whenever the Celtics build a large lead they go away from what was working and resort to dumb basketball with one poor shot/decision after another. Quarter should have ended with a 17 point lead if not more.

Yup. We had a 17 pt lead, and Kemba shot two awful looking shots. The one at the corner used to be money. I guess he maybe gassed already.

I think Kemba is playing through a hurt knee.

He can't be counted on for his normal reliability as he tries to gut it out and provide what he can.

Which is even more infuriating that when he has a masterpiece we go to sleep in the end of the half again and waste some of his amazing shot making that did happen.

There's no guarantee he goes in the half and ices the knee and doesn't become the Kemba we saw in game 5, game 6, game 7, game 1

These guys have golden opportunities and they're throwing them away. It's so infuriating.

[3D Chess]

I am absolutely shook at Kanter bottling up Dragic on a play. Dude blows by Tatum like he's not even there, and Enes does that!?

[TheMartian]

Brown is getting frustrated with Tatum

I noticed Tatum frustrated with Brown earlier, threw his hands up

I'd be more frustrated with Jaylen who's been playing soft on offense. Settling for pull ups even if he has driven all the way to the paint. Take it strong to the hoop ffs.