No Rest For The Weary

by Jeff Clark on Jan 8, 2009 10:59 AM EST in News/Links Comment 12 comments

Weary_medium

Yesterday we tried coming up with all the different reasons why this team is struggling. Nobody knows for sure except the guys on the floor (and maybe they don't know either) but they sure look tired. They just don't have that same swagger that they had early in the year.

When you get tired, you get sloppy. When you are weary, sometimes you can put together an effort for a stretch (like last night's solid first quarter), but eventually it catches up with you. Lately the team has been hitting a wall in the forth quarter. From the Globe:

The Year of the Celtic seems like a fading memory as the team's trademark strong finishes have turned into late-game collapses, a reversal of form as well as fortune. The Celtics also squandered late chances in a 114-106 overtime defeat in Charlotte Tuesday, continuing a trend that began with a Dec. 25 loss to the Lakers, the start of a road trip that broke not only the Celtics' 19-game winning streak but also their spell on the opposition.

And don't talk to me about the offense because I don't want to hear it. This team's identity is based on defense first and foremost. When we play defense the way we can, we win. Simple as that. All the other issues this team has (lack of depth, turnovers, etc.) are still there in the wins. They just don't matter because the defense more than makes up for them.

Paul Pierce agrees:

"Right now, our defense is not getting the job done," Pierce said. "That's one of the first things we talk about. That's the type of team we are, and when we don't defend, it doesn't allow us to get out and run the break. We're not causing turnovers like we want to. You can defend us in the half-court and get us into a slowdown game, which we can play. But our goal is go out there and shut things down. We are allowing too much dribble penetration. I told the guys we need to get our defensive swagger back. It's been broke these last 10 or 12 days. We know what we're capable of - it's just about going back to the basics and doing what we do.

Of course to play defense you need to have the energy to do it properly.

This team needs a rest and it isn't coming anytime soon. The All Star break is a month away. Maybe they can get some rest next week, but not before they face the Cavs tomorrow and a back-to-back home/away with the Raps.

That's the challenge of an NBA season though. To use a cliche: It is a marathon, not a sprint. There's plenty of time to get this turned around again to finish the season on a strong note. I just wish they could get a few more days off to get their groove back sooner rather than later.

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They will be Fine..I knew this kind of thing will happen. I believe in them.

by spoiled on Jan 8, 2009 9:18 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Get the minutes down for the big three

They are playing way to much and its showing especially Ray Allen. Doc needs to keep all of their minutes under 30 every game from now till the all star break. These guys played 108 games last year and more than anyone else this year. I would bring up Walker and give Walker,Pruitt and POB some serious burn at least till the break. Defense is all effort and heart, unfortunetly our big three are old in nba years and Doc needs to adjust accordingly. You cant push the big three like this and expect them to be in top form for the playoffs. .

by FatjohnReturns on Jan 8, 2009 9:28 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but if the Celtics do that, they might lose a few games...

…(oh, wait)

by no kidding on Jan 8, 2009 10:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Defense & Offense go hand in hand

The play has been poor on both ends of the floor in my opinion, but a lot of that has to do with not getting stops. In the midst of our 19 game winning streak, great defensive was leading to EASY offense. Rajon Rondo’s game has been most effected by the lack of transition offense. You can tell he just doesn’t have the same impact on the game when it’s played in half court sets for 95% of it. Same with Ray Allen. One of the major reasons for his success this year was transition wide open 3s. They just aren’t there right now, and those viscious runs we used to almost always go on in the 3rd quarter are not happening because we are not locking down defensively. It is definitely fatigue. This team is too tough not to respond and when they respond it’s going to be BIG.

SCOTT

by Vegas Scott on Jan 8, 2009 9:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

the celtics have lost their mojo. i don’t think they were tired last nite. they were pressing in the 4th quarter. we have been spoiled the last year and a half. last nite absolutely would have been a win until now when the men in green, and it’s the first team, missed open shots, and scurried rather than played with ease and confidence. in recent memory, when was the last time you remember ray making an important shot in the 4th quarter? perk? rondo? eddie? eddie has been outright horrific and he’s not tired. kg gets the 18 footer and shoots it right away. when he’s close to the basket, he pounds the ball until the whole middle is clogged up. powe was so so last nite-got some boards, but watch him, when someone shoots he stays in his spot and does not move his feet, hence gets nowhere near the rebound. baby and gabe gave some life to the bench but wake up doc, what has taken you so lonf to get gabe going?

by nazzbo on Jan 8, 2009 9:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think last nights 4th quarter is directly related to the overtime game the night before, but no excuse is valid, not even being tired, the rockets played the night before in Philli and had last 3-4 road losses in a row.. this team is in a serious funk right now, and at least we have last year, now we get to watch a tired 3 finish out there careers…and is it possible perk and rondo already peaked this season? or the whole team for that matter

by TheAncientRivalry on Jan 8, 2009 9:55 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

A reversal of form as well as fortune

Nope, it’s a reversal of fortune.

Has our defensive efficiency decline from the first 25 games, Jeff? If so, by our much?

Winning close games is not about quality, it’s a lot about luck. The 86’ team won roughly 50% of their close games, true for the Jordan Bulls, true for the Magic Lakers, etc. This team was like 9-0 on close games. Therefore, losing our share of close games was due.

There’s no a big difference on how the team is playing. It’s just that the now it’s the opponents that are making a couple of shots instead of us.

by cordobes on Jan 8, 2009 10:14 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

They’ve been playing differently actually, complete opposite from the winning streak, everyone was playing great except Pierce, now Pierce is playing great and everyone else isnt, sorry but Perk, Rondo, and Ray were not playing this bad during the streak

by TheAncientRivalry on Jan 8, 2009 10:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm...

The best offense is a good defense?

We can’t win them all?

Everybody is out to get them because they’re the defending champs?

The recent losing slump has shown that the C’s are being outplayed and some of the blame goes to the starters, too. A big part of the reason, also, has been the inconsistency of the bench.

Last year, the Big Three came out to play to prove to the detractors that they can win a championship. This year, I am not so sure what they’re doing.

To be able to pick up a player like a Marbury is like a gift. He may not fit PERFECTLY, but he can produce and help.

"The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing"

by Jeff_Fuller_49 on Jan 8, 2009 10:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

we all talk about marbury but the knicks have to release him, but they haven’t. why doesn’t that happen? theybwant us to squirm.

by nazzbo on Jan 8, 2009 12:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Key points in the last 2 games

In no particular order.

Ray’s man loses him once and falls down once in the Charlotte game and he misses both wide open 3 point shots.

Last game Garnett tries to back down a defender giving up 6 inches multiple times and failing to do so comes up short on a ten foot turnarounds.

Last game Rondo lets his man drive by him twice easily in the last minute to set up open shots for Houston.

Add that to the fact that in the last three games the other teams seem to be knocking down the 3 point shot with increasing success. Especially in key moments.

Lack of length, perimeter shooting, a second point guard, from our second unit is a big factor that has been pointed out on this blog over and over. It is impossible to watch these games and think our bench is matching up with anyones reserves.

I think most of this is probably fixable and I assume a plan is in place.

by Hondo on Jan 8, 2009 1:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Rondo not pushing the ball?

I haven’t seen any of the recent games but I do know that during the 19 game winning streak Rondo got rave reviews for pushing the tempo and keeping the offense in sync.

The defense is very very important, I understand, but if our point guard is not running the team like he did last month then it will cost us games.

by Ruben Wolkowyski on Jan 8, 2009 1:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs