Winning At Home is Possible on May 19, 2023

OurF'ingCity

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Apr 22, 2016
8,470
New York City
I will not accept the "the team is still too young" excuse that always happens when they fall short. This team is no longer young. The roster is just not built for playoff basketball, and Stevens is going to have to find a way to fix it this offseason.
Yup. They need a veteran presence, someone who has actually won a title and knows how to handle himself. As it stands literally every single one of these guys goes deer-in-the-headlights in crunch time.
 

lars10

Member
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Jul 31, 2007
13,059
I will not accept the "the team is still too young" excuse that always happens when they fall short. This team is no longer young. The roster is just not built for playoff basketball, and Stevens is going to have to find a way to fix it this offseason.
I, for one, would stop playing Smart as a PG in the 4th quarter. He's just not careful enough with the ball and he's not a good enough shooter to run PnRs. Him being on the floor lets the other team double Tatum or Brown because they want him to shoot.
 

Jinhocho

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2001
10,453
Durham, NC
Smart turnovers
Tatum turnovers
Cant get a defensive rebound in key moments
Cant turn it off and on when they want. I do not see how people can make any excuses about this team.
 

JakeRae

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Jul 21, 2005
8,371
New York, NY
Jaylen was awful tonight. Horford was bad. And Grant cannot start shit with Butler late in the 4th of a game that isn’t entirely out of reach.
 

MannyRam

Member
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Jun 25, 2002
808
North Cackalacky
I will not accept the "the team is still too young" excuse that always happens when they fall short. This team is no longer young. The roster is just not built for playoff basketball, and Stevens is going to have to find a way to fix it this offseason.
Going to need a Horford replacement. Which sure as hell won't be easy to find/acquire
 

timelysarcasm

Member
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Jul 23, 2010
1,856
Los Angeles by way of Roxbury
We just have a long list of underperforming players: Horford, JB, White before tonight, Brogdon in some stretches. It's really tough when the 40% of the team is playing like ass at any given moment.

Shooting like Stevie Wonder when a big part of our offense is 3 pointers is also tough.

Add in our propensity to fuck around (which is more aggravating than just missing shots) and here we are. So frustrating and disappointing.
 

CaptainLaddie

dj paul pfieffer
SoSH Member
Sep 6, 2004
39,357
where the darn libs live
CJM is won’t be the coach next year. He is a nothing
I don't know how they can bring him back, and I was a huge CJM proponent for most of the first half of the season.

He's not the answer, but clearly they can't bring back *this team* as it is unless they win 4 of the next 5. It's insane that a team with 2 All-NBA guys, the previous years DPOY, and then guys like Brogdon, White, Horford, and Rob can't fucking figure out how not shit all over their own shoes repeatedly.
 

8slim

has trust issues
SoSH Member
Nov 6, 2001
28,304
Unreal America
I don’t care about the coach. This team has a Charmin soft core. They’re never winning a title with this crew. Dumb and weak.
 

JCizzle

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Dec 11, 2006
22,484
So Joe is responsible for the 8-12 forced passed that turned into turnovers? Or JB or JT just losing the ball 5-8 times a night on a dribble? Stop being a WEEI caller
Do you agree that White should've played the low number of minutes that he did though? Or have Al in there at the end? Because that's on the coach. I don't think it's EEI level to point out this guy is in way over his head.
 

Nick Kaufman

protector of human kind from spoilers
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Aug 2, 2003
13,995
A Lost Time
Not one for knee-jerk reactions, but they got outcoached and outplayed.

How can you let Jimmy Butler go one on one for most of the fourth quarter vs Grant Williams and then... Brogdon?

I am a casual fan mostly watching during the playoffs, but I haven't seen Jaylen Brown take over a fourth quarter once.

I bet Jimmy Buttler's act is annoying to many fans of the opposing team, I like the dude. Worked his ass to maximize his potential, talks trash and backs it up, he's carrying a mediocre Heat team to the finals. How can you nor respect that?

Usually, being two down and heading on the road is a stick a fork in them, they are done moment, but this is a more talented team. If they play like it,. they can make it a series again.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

Found no thrill on Blueberry Hill
SoSH Member
Sep 9, 2008
44,159
AZ
They had a negative point differential in the regular season. How is that a "really fucking good" team??
I think it’s pretty clear that team does not have much in common with the team that is playing right now. Not sure what they have to do to convince anyone. They are tough as nails, timely as hell, and win any style you throw at them since the playoffs started.
 

scottyno

late Bloomer
SoSH Member
Dec 7, 2008
11,671
The Celtics bench got hugely outplayed by the Warriors last years Finals. Thought that problem was fixed, but it obviously wasn't. Don't listen to those that say the bench doesn't matter in the playoffs.
In what universe was the Cs bench anywhere near a problem today? They only played 8 guys and their 3 worst by far were all starters.
 

lexrageorge

Member
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Jul 31, 2007
20,257
I know we focus on the Celtics. But the Heat are really fucking good. 10-3 in the playoffs against the 1, 2 and 5 seed. 11-4 if you count the play in games.
No argument here. Just that the Celtics were also supposed to be really fucking good. Instead they are being badly outmatched in 2 straight games.
 

teddykgb

Member
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Jul 16, 2005
11,538
Chelmsford, MA
So Joe is responsible for the 8-12 forced passed that turned into turnovers? Or JB or JT just losing the ball 5-8 times a night on a dribble? Stop being a WEEI caller
Yes. At least partially. The team is completely broken on offense and are trying to do too much to compensate. Their offensive system and players together aren’t creating consistent good looks. It is the job of the coach to set them up. That’s practice and film and understanding that Miami has made your life incredibly difficult at times with a zone 3 years running now and somehow this same group of players still don’t have a good way to attack it. It’s doubling Butler at times or playing a zone yourself so he can’t dribble to his spots with no resistance time after time after time. I’m so tired of reading all these takes as if the coach is just a poor victim of players who aren’t doing things when the things they’re being asked to do aren’t working. Most of the arguments you all are making are tantamount to saying there’s no need for a coach. The coach is supposed to watch with the clarity of not playing and help his team make adjustments and understand where things are going wrong
 

Helmet Head

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Jul 18, 2005
5,217
Central Mass
Complete front runners. This team is softer than puppy poo.
I have been told, by people on this very forum that the Celtics have the best numbers ever close and late.

That being said, I have yet to see them win a close game this postseason. And it was rare last postseason as well. But I believe then either way.
 

OnWisc

Microcosmic
SoSH Member
Apr 16, 2006
8,350
Chicago, IL
These guys continue to play like the Celtics hold a lottery pick or have some superstar with a broken ankle rehabbing to rejoin the team. There are no reinforcements this time. This team is its final form. And unfortunate instead of Voltron, they’re more like a Volvo. 1988. Red DL.
 

Ed Hillel

Wants to be startin somethin
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2007
48,645
Here
I don’t know what coach watches this game and thinks Al should get 30 minutes to Rob’s 23.
 

Senator Donut

post-Domer
SoSH Member
Apr 21, 2010
5,780
CJM was bad tonight, but probably not the primary issue. I’m not going to continue to yell about it.

On the other hand, Al Horford looked old, ineffective, and lost. That was absolutely pathetic tonight. Committing brain-dead loose-ball fouls is a lack of effort. He was walking disaster tonight.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
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Aug 1, 2006
37,964
The Celtics biggest problems in this game were:
1. Jaylen
2. Smart
3. Horford


You want to put Joe a distant 4th... sure go ahead, but those 3 were the problem
 

The Mort Report

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Aug 5, 2007
8,365
Concord
Do you agree that White should've played the low number of minutes that he did though? Or have Al in there at the end? Because that's on the coach. I don't think it's EEI level to point out this guy is in way over his head.
Yes, but it's never going to be perfect for a coach or they'd never lose. You could nitpick the crap out of every loss last season with the mindset people take toward the coach. This game was completely on the players, posters just want to blame Joe because it's easier than blaming their favorite player
 

lexrageorge

Member
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Jul 31, 2007
20,257
In what universe was the Cs bench anywhere near a problem today? They only played 8 guys and their 3 worst by far were all starters.
Heat's rotation players (6-8) outscored Boston's 42-33. Agree that Boston's starters sucked as well.
 

JakeRae

Member
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Jul 21, 2005
8,371
New York, NY
This series isn’t over, but there is no margin for error left. Time to see if this team can continue to actually show up when their backs are against the wall, because it is clear they can’t when they aren’t.
 

Light-Tower-Power

ask me about My Pillow
SoSH Member
Jun 14, 2013
16,567
Nashua, NH
Do you think that made a scintilla of diference? That Butler wouldn't have reached into his reserves and finished strong? Perhaps you haven't watched that last dozen or so Heat games?
It’s pretty obvious he costs through the first half to save himself for the second half. And it works since the Celtics can’t seem to distance themselves.
 

soxin6

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Apr 23, 2010
7,057
Huntington Beach, CA
Tatum’s 4th quarter possessions were awful. It was either kick the ball to the other team or get bailed out.

I say this because the entire team sucked ass. I know the narrative will be to blame Jaylen for all of this, it’s completely obvious that’s where this group goes. My entire point is that the team sucked.

And joe fucking butchered Game 1. Let’s all admit that. Not talk about statistical models or other bullshit, he fucking blew it
Of course the team sucked, but this was a blowout without Tatum. Tatum was great for three quarters and Brown was ass for all four.
 

JCizzle

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 11, 2006
22,484
The Celtics biggest problems in this game were:
1. Jaylen
2. Smart
3. Horford


You want to put Joe a distant 4th... sure go ahead, but those 3 were the problem
But....who chose to play those guys over the alternatives? (JB aside, no argument there)