Interesting skipping Monday on the alternating days schedule. Slow it down to match up with the west?Rest of the schedule finally announced. Game 4 isn't until Wednesday.
https://stats.nba.com/schedule/
Interesting skipping Monday on the alternating days schedule. Slow it down to match up with the west?Rest of the schedule finally announced. Game 4 isn't until Wednesday.
https://stats.nba.com/schedule/
ESPN has MNF. Allows for the WCF to catch up and don’t have to play Game 4 on a Monday afternoon.Interesting skipping Monday on the alternating days schedule. Slow it down to match up with the west?
Monday Night Football, is my guessInteresting skipping Monday on the alternating days schedule. Slow it down to match up with the west?
And the thing is, 2 years is HUGE at that age. I'll take my chances with Tatum at age 24 with what he's learning this year and will undoubtedly learn next year too.The list of alphas to win NBA titles under the age of say 25 is pretty lean. It depends on how you view the Shaq/Kobe and Magic/Kareem relationships, and beyond those you've got Bird in 1981 (24), Duncan in 1999 (23) and Wade in 2006 (24).
*edit - I only looked at the modern era
Scared of MNFInteresting skipping Monday on the alternating days schedule. Slow it down to match up with the west?
And don't forget the Crowder prayer 4 point play.I don't think the Cs have put together 4 quarters yet in this series, which is promising in one way that if they do it will be fun to watch but scary in that maybe this group can't.
To my eyes, the zone really hurt the Cs as I was afraid. It's not just that they have a hard time beating it, but it makes them passive on offense (whipping the ball around the perimeter with no real purpose) and then they seemingly lose focus on defense.
Still, MIA needed two prayers to win this game - the KO 3 and the Dragic 3. I think Bos has the more talented roster but MIA is executing better, which has to piss Brad off.
NoThe game 4 timing presents an interesting decision if Hayward is borderline for game 3. Do you give him four extra days to get ready but risk that you could be down 0-3 when he comes back?
Even at 75%, his court vision as a point forward against that zone would be helpfulHayward has to play. They need some kind of lift.
It's amazing that the Cs have lost 5 "home"games in a row but have won six "road" games In a row (counting PHI).Only silver lining is 7 neutral site games. Not hitting the road down 0-2. Just get it even.
100%. No chance we’re down 0-2 with even part-time Hayward available.Even at 75%, his court vision as a point forward against that zone would be helpful
Yeah, you could almost replace the word "imploding" with "healing". It might not fix anything, but they need a fire lit under their asses.“Imploding”. I’ll take being pissed down 0-2 over complacent when blowing two straight double digit leads.
Crowder miracle 4-point play, Olynyk three point heave, Dragic step back fadeaway three.... I mean....it's taking some pretty unbelievable shots for this team to beat the Celtics, even as the Cs aren't playing very well.And don't forget the Crowder prayer 4 point play.
Fucking embarrassing. Completely inexcusable and the worst play of the bubble all things considered. 0.5 was just poor execution. This was pathetic effort with the game on the line.The clip in this tweet is a good summary of game 2's second half. Literally 4 dudes just staring at the rebound.
That's simply JB not checking. Nothing more or less. We call it hit & get.The clip in this tweet is a good summary of game 2's second half. Literally 4 dudes just staring at the rebound.
When totally healthy, maybe. And only maybe. They have more shooters and a more athletic inside scorer/defender.I don't think the Cs have put together 4 quarters yet in this series, which is promising in one way that if they do it will be fun to watch but scary in that maybe this group can't.
To my eyes, the zone really hurt the Cs as I was afraid. It's not just that they have a hard time beating it, but it makes them passive on offense (whipping the ball around the perimeter with no real purpose) and then they seemingly lose focus on defense.
Still, MIA needed two prayers to win this game - the KO 3 and the Dragic 3. I think Bos has the more talented roster but MIA is executing better, which has to piss Brad off.
Yup. Incredibly frustrating to be down 2-0. No business losing both of those games. We should all be here excitedly talking about Game 3 tied 1-1 with Haywood about to return. Ugh.Really still just a few 4th Q plays from this being 2-0. Frustrating to watch, especially the above, but they're still right there at the end. Unfortunately 4th Q Butler >> 4th Q. Tatum.'
Brown not getting much love here but he came up big in the 4th with a couple 3's and a put back. Missed the chance to tie though, the kind of shot the C's need and just can't seem to make.
Monday Night Football.Interesting skipping Monday on the alternating days schedule. Slow it down to match up with the west?
I missed Olynyk’s shot but Crowders was a standard catch-and-shoot where Jaylen didn’t allow him to land and Dragic’s was his signature step back. It’s not like TL knocking down 3’s off the glass.......this is what the Heat have done the entire time they have been in the bubble.Crowder miracle 4-point play, Olynyk three point heave, Dragic step back fadeaway three.... I mean....it's taking some pretty unbelievable shots for this team to beat the Celtics, even as the Cs aren't playing very well.
That was frustrating to watch. Putting in Kanter seemed like a brilliant move in the first half. But once the Heat figured out how to exploit him in the third quarter, Stevens should have put him on the bench immediately and kept him there. Definitely not Brad at his finest.Stevens needs some heat for leaving in Kanter too long tonight.
Karalis agrees with you - said so on today's LO Celtics pod.“Imploding”. I’ll take being pissed down 0-2 over complacent when blowing two straight double digit leads.
Jaylen Brown, for one, was not angry at Smart for his postgame outburst.
“That’s why we love him,” Brown said. “He plays with passion, he’s full of fire, and that’s what I love about him most to be honest. He has that desire and that will, and we need him to continue to have that. ... Who Marcus is, I love him for it. We’ve got to get ready to come back with that same fire and add it to Game 3.”
Had they won, it would probably have made a lot of sense to hold Hayward back until game 4. Now, I don't think thery have that luxury.Rest of the schedule finally announced. Game 4 isn't until Wednesday.
https://stats.nba.com/schedule/
They have "put 4 quarters together" just once over the past 7 games, the game 5 win over Toronto.I don't think the Cs have put together 4 quarters yet in this series, which is promising in one way that if they do it will be fun to watch but scary in that maybe this group can't.
My jaw dropped with I saw that live. It’s like heads have been in asses since the Toronto G3 disaster ending. They’ve played a grand total of one complete 48 minute effort since that happened. Hopefully Hayward has his lift and his shot because they need him to be good if they want to push this to 6 or 7.The clip in this tweet is a good summary of game 2's second half. Literally 4 dudes just staring at the rebound.
FACT. I thought we'd see that to start the series. It should be Grant/Theis on Bam. Just like it was Theis/Kanter on Embiid.
He's probably also pissed that his professional basketball team that made it to the ECF is having so much trouble with a zone defense, something middle school teams master, even after seeing it in the previous series as well. There are moments when they break through - some great plays inside to Theis and others during the Toronto series - but I think it's what is dragging the whole team down, top-down. It leads to fewer looks for the guys you want to get looks, then some lapses on defense/turnovers due to frustration, and then muddled plays when they are called for during important moments. They are still a young team.I don't think the Cs have put together 4 quarters yet in this series, which is promising in one way that if they do it will be fun to watch but scary in that maybe this group can't.
To my eyes, the zone really hurt the Cs as I was afraid. It's not just that they have a hard time beating it, but it makes them passive on offense (whipping the ball around the perimeter with no real purpose) and then they seemingly lose focus on defense.
Still, MIA needed two prayers to win this game - the KO 3 and the Dragic 3. I think Bos has the more talented roster but MIA is executing better, which has to piss Brad off.
The Thomas-Dumars-Laimbeer Pistons were terrific from 1983-84 (49-33) to 1987-88 (54-28, lost in the NBA finals). It took them six years to finally break through as a group and win their first NBA title.
The Jordan Bulls were terrific from 1987-88 (50-32) to 1989-90 (55-27) and actually made the playoffs in 84-85, 85-86, and 86-87 (albeit with sub-.500 records). It took them seven years from the start of their playoff run to break through as a group and win their first NBA title.
Sometimes it takes a team a while of banging their head against the ceiling before breaking through. Those Bulls and Pistons teams suffered numerous heartbreaks in the playoffs and maybe to their fans it seemed like they'd never get over the hump. This doesn't mean Boston WILL - lots of really good teams never did (the Barkley Suns, the Ewing Knicks, the Moncrief Bucks, etc.) - but this team, as Strike4 said, is YOUNG. Their two best players are 22 and 23. They've got only three guys who's 30 or older (Wanamaker, Hayward, Kemba, the latter two recently turned 30). Though it seems like he's been around forever, Smart is only 26.
There's TONS of room for growth for this team still. Even if this playoff run comes to a close sooner than any of us would like.
But I don't think it's over yet. I think they get that first win and then confidence returns. Miami is very tough and experienced. But I think Boston can still win this series. Obviously game 3 is a must-win at this point.
I love this. Draymond’s like, “you know what the Celtics need right now? Their best approximation of me.” I guess when all you have is a Swiss Army knife, every problem looks like it can be solved with a Swiss Army knife. Dude should definitely be a coach someday.
Yeah but if they can keep JT/JB together, that's enough of a "core" to keep putting different pieces around. They've gotta understand how young they are.Unfortunately in the modern NBA it's not likely you're keeping a team together for 6 or 7 years to grow together. Once you get a good core together, you only have a few years to win before stars get frustrated and go pick a new set of teammates.
Exactly my thoughts too. I do wonder how much of an advantage the time off for the Heat was, maybe seeing the Celtics struggle with Toronto's zone. The Celtics on the other hand have had what, one practice to prepare for the Heat?I love this. Draymond’s like, “you know what the Celtics need right now? Their best approximation of me.” I guess when all you have is a Swiss Army knife, every problem looks like it can be solved with a Swiss Army knife. Dude should definitely be a coach someday.
In addition to this their passing has been atrocious the entire playoff run. Lazy, braindead, timid, and lacking in the basic fundamentals.They should be running the ball up the floor, moving the ball inside the zone, and looking to either drive the lane to score or kick out for an in-rhythm 3 pointer.
Miami is giving them fits in the zone partly because they’re playing bigger players at the top of the zone. Their length at the top is not letting the guards turn the corner and bothered passes all night.
Everything you state is correct. OTOH, we can never really predict how long windows of contention will remain open. The team is young, but it remains a question as to whether the Celtics can take advantage of that youth and truly contend for multiple years, or remain Conference Finals fodder. Plenty of young promising teams have ended up in the latter category, including the vaunted Bucks.The Thomas-Dumars-Laimbeer Pistons were terrific from 1983-84 (49-33) to 1987-88 (54-28, lost in the NBA finals). It took them six years to finally break through as a group and win their first NBA title.
The Jordan Bulls were terrific from 1987-88 (50-32) to 1989-90 (55-27) and actually made the playoffs in 84-85, 85-86, and 86-87 (albeit with sub-.500 records). It took them seven years from the start of their playoff run to break through as a group and win their first NBA title.
Sometimes it takes a team a while of banging their head against the ceiling before breaking through. Those Bulls and Pistons teams suffered numerous heartbreaks in the playoffs and maybe to their fans it seemed like they'd never get over the hump. This doesn't mean Boston WILL - lots of really good teams never did (the Barkley Suns, the Ewing Knicks, the Moncrief Bucks, etc.) - but this team, as Strike4 said, is YOUNG. Their two best players are 22 and 23. They've got only three guys who's 30 or older (Wanamaker, Hayward, Kemba, the latter two recently turned 30). Though it seems like he's been around forever, Smart is only 26.
There's TONS of room for growth for this team still. Even if this playoff run comes to a close sooner than any of us would like.
But I don't think it's over yet. I think they get that first win and then confidence returns. Miami is very tough and experienced. But I think Boston can still win this series. Obviously game 3 is a must-win at this point.
It's hard to disagree with Draymond at this point, but he's essentially proposing that the Celtics go back to what most people thought they should avoid at the start of this series - switching the pick and roll, which will lead to Miami hunting mismatches. It'll result in lots of possessions with Butler going at Kemba or Dragic putting Theis/Grant on skates. At this point though, Butler has been so passive, maybe it's worth trying to force him to take 25 shots.I love this. Draymond’s like, “you know what the Celtics need right now? Their best approximation of me.” I guess when all you have is a Swiss Army knife, every problem looks like it can be solved with a Swiss Army knife. Dude should definitely be a coach someday.
Tatum vs. Butler so far...
Tatum: 25.5 pts, 9.5 reb, 4.5 ast, 2.0 stl, 1.5 blk, 44.4% FG
Butler: 17.0 pts, 4.5 reb, 4.0 ast, 3.0 stl, 0.0 blk, 44.0% FG
Tatum is owning Butler on the stat sheet. But Butler has made the huge plays late in games to help Miami to a 2-0 lead.
I really don’t want it to get lost just how fucking lazy that Kemba pass was that Butler deflected and saved. Up 3 with 3:44 to go and our $34M PG is making HS level passes at crucial moments. Just infuriating.Tatum vs. Butler so far...
Tatum: 25.5 pts, 9.5 reb, 4.5 ast, 2.0 stl, 1.5 blk, 44.4% FG
Butler: 17.0 pts, 4.5 reb, 4.0 ast, 3.0 stl, 0.0 blk, 44.0% FG
Tatum is owning Butler on the stat sheet. But Butler has made the huge plays late in games to help Miami to a 2-0 lead.