Mind Games

But not the paranoia. The Pistons aren;‘t that good, and when Iverson returns they’ll be even worse. The Magic (or the Celtics) should handle them in no more than 6 games.

It’s Cleveland that everyone should be worried about, because LeBron is on a mission, and so is David Stern to get his Kobe vs LeBron final.

I guess I can’t get too frustrated with your post because you didn’t directly ‘attack’ the Celtics with hatred, but boy did you dabble a bit.

The Magic aren’t afraid of the Celitcs? Have you watched any of the games where these two teams played? Besides the last game, it’s been basically an elite team vs. a rookie team. I thought the Celtics played smarter and better during each matchup.

The Celtics play ‘ugly’ basketball? If you’re talking about as of late, then I agree. The multitude of injuries all at once could have something to do with it no? Each team has chemistry (at least the good ones) and when you’re constantly having that chemistry interrupted/hindered by injuries, your game is bound to turn less pretty than it normally looks. I mean, when we were playing this ‘ugly’ basketball we beat Cleveland and almost beat you. I’d say that exposes Cle and Orl rather than define the Celtics.

And when we are healthy, how can you say we play ‘ugly’? Did you not watch us all of last year and the majority of this year? The defense has been some of the best in years (as mentioned by numerous NBA players not on the Celtics). You deem it ‘bewildering’ that we’d play like this as if we’re Memphis, which tells me you don’t watch us play very often.

Our style of play is ‘very beatable’ you say? We’re an elite threat beyond the arch and inside. That sounds beatable? Our defense is one of the best in the league. What’s an unbeatable style of play? Relying solely on your outside shot and when that’s taken away you panic?

I don’t have a problem with you supporting your team, but to have such confidence against a team that has on multiple occasions shown that they’re better than your team is strange.

Your “haq-a-shaq” story is not quite accurate on how we play Dwight, considering the most free-throws he’s taken against us this year in a game is 6. For someone who averages 11 FTA per game, this hardly looks like a “haq-a-shaq” scenario. We bang and play tough defense on him like defense should be play, it’s as simple as that.

but the refs just don’t call it? I don’t doubt there is some contact that gets let go, but to say it is a hack-a-shaq strategy, which is purposely fouling because of lousy FT %, and he only has attempted 6 FTs against the C’s is a bit of a stretch. If they were purposely fouling, not just playing aggressive, physical D, there is no way the officials would let that go to the degree you are suggesting. Let me ask a question. How else is anybody supposed to try and play Howard and have a prayer of stopping him if not being physical. The reason the C’s play him physical is because he is physical. When you have a physique like his, camp out in the post, and try to dunk everything, how would you expect your opponent to try and stop you? Should Perk, etc., in the name of keeping it clean, just play soft and let him have his way? Howard should expect to be played like this, not frustrated when it happens.

When they start calling “3 seconds on the paint” constantly on Howard, I’ll hear your frustrations of him “not getting calls”. Hard to believe when he’s shooting 11FTA per game though.