Airball
by Jeff Clark on Jan 28, 2010 10:58 PM EST
in Boston Celtics Games
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Print- Dwight has been working on that running hook hasn't he? Pretty good game for him.
- Of course when we were preparing for this game, all the attention was on how to stop the dominating Gortat.
- Eddie House now leads the league in foot-on-the-line 3 point attempts.
- Sheed was hot early, not so much late.
- Ray Allen was 7-7 at one point. Could have used a little of that in the 4th.
- Decent game by Rondo, especially with some key plays in the 4th.
- Free throw discrepancy: Orlando 40, Boston 18
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Well, we made our bed with Age and Experience. Definitely don’t match up well with guys like Dwight, Gortat, Rashard.
Say Amen
Def faded in the stretch. Can run 2 greybeards, not three. Need legs, 2nd attack guard, but not sure Danny can get em. Btw, a lot of the talk is going to be about Garnett, but P-Dub was MIA
WOW REALLY
This team is hopeless… Trade everyone. I’m sure ATL will beat the crap out of the C’s again
KG has to beat Lewis to the baseline on that play!
Well that really sucked… Gotta get back to work tomorrow night…. Can’t dwell on the loss guys and neither should we.
Time to move on to the Hawks!
Oh yay
On 2nd end of a back to back, with long minutes for starters, minimal bench help and obviously ailing. ATL will be circling the carcass
I can't wait to read
all about how the Celtics are old and done, how they choked….
they lost because of a 22 FT edge to the Magic and Eddie’s shoes being 2mm too long.
almost forgot
a T on Rasheed for yelling “and 1”… yes he was fouled… so there’s another two points right there… way to go NBA!
that T was absolutely ridiculous. perfect example for when refs should be disciplined by the league for abuse of authority.
by slamtheking on Jan 28, 2010 11:17 PM EST up reply actions
let's not blame the refs
the C’s let this one get away, period. this team needs to learn to hold a lead.
i just call it like i see it
this game was a blowout in the making and then it started raining whistles in one direction. the magic played well down the stretch and made plays but it wouldn’t have been close without the assist from the refs in the third.
Lots of blows to the faces of the Magic players
Celts earned those foul calls for the most part
by nba is the worst on Jan 28, 2010 11:56 PM EST up reply actions
While you're busy "seeing" it a certain way,
you are aware, I hope, that fairness of officiating is not necessarily determined by congruence in free throw attempts, yes?
Sometimes, one team fouls more than the other. When that happens, the more victimized team should receive more favorable calls.
I’m not saying that happened tonight. But the use of “it started raining whistles in one direction” as an excuse grows tired rather quickly with me.
Also, see what nba is the worst said above.
-sw
Growing up in the Weinman household, you learn two rules very quickly if you aspire to reach double-digits in the years-of-age category: Hate thy Knick, hate thy Yankee.
Go Celtics, Go Dodgers. -sw
by Steve Weinman on Jan 29, 2010 12:42 AM EST up reply actions
sorry i'm making you tired
but i’m tired of NBA officiating. you work for the nba now don’t you? perhaps you can do something about it?
and yes I am aware that FT disparity doesn’t necessarily mean that officiating is unfair. however, in tonight’s game (as in the loss to atlanta), it was, imho.
if you’d like, i can blame the loss on the celtics being too old?
The foul calls seemed a bit biased
… toward the Magic. But the travel calls… and there were MANY… were clearly ridiculous. I have recorded Dwight Howard taking (at least) FIVE steps prior to dribbling… which he did almost every time he got the ball… and not ONE call? In a game where they were obviously SO ridiculously tight in that area?? And btw… Carter ALSO clearly traveled on his the 2nd possession of the game… the ref was right there… but no call. Bias in the officiating was evident.
Still… there’s no question that there were plenty of deficiencies in the Cs’ game… the loss of energy and focus in the 4th being prime among them. Bad games from Paul and KG also helped them lose, as did inadequate defensive rebounding … and the coup de grace was the last (lucky) three by Reddick.
Low energy=fouls
Team gets gassed they dont move the feet, reach and hack more. No surprise there. Or box for boards. And fail to crack 20 points in the 4th = not on the reffs
to Hooray
I didn’t blame the refs for losing the game. Just called out that very stupid technical because it was undeserved and not the first time the refs have called that on Sheed.
yeah, and rebound!!
it didn’t help that they had 17 offensive rebounds to our 6. Not going to win against good teams with that stat!
Those aren't the right stats to compare.
You need to compare their offensive rebounds against our defensive rebounds and vice versa.
And you also have to understand that as a rule, the C’s do not contest for their own offensive rebounds (hence only 6).
Rebounds are actually a poor stat to use as they don’t correlate with wins very well.
Think about it – if your offense is perfect you make every shot – no rebounds available. If your defense is perfect you make them turn the ball over every time without taking a shot – again, no rebounds available. If you play great but not perfect defense, you allow them to shoot horrible shots – lots of defensive rebounds available for you, offensive rebounds for them. So in the end, rebounds don’t track well how you are actually playing.
Better stats to look at are possession efficiencies. How many points do you score on average per possession? How many points does your opponent score on each possession? The Celtics have been awesome all year on the latter. Up & down with the former.
They lost because the Magic outplayed them by far in the second half...
but none the less time to move on to the Hawks and not dwell on this game.
this game was on its way to a blowout
and then the whistles started in the 3rd. you can always tell when “referee assist” mode is coming.
there's should be a statistical study
of 3rd quarter officiating in nationally televised games… it’s almost as if these games have to be close going into the fourth.
aaaarrrgggghhhh!
14 point lead in the 4th and we lose. now that’s painful
FIRE DOC RIVERS
The old men got tired at end of game. They played great defense, to be truthful it’s not there faul. for the loss. But I do fault Doc Rivers for not having the fresh legs of the young’s.
So, you don't have your best defensive player in when you need stops at the end of the game...
100% healthy or not. There is no way you don’t have KG in then…
You to Wallace758 next time the C’s get a big win and you are saying you never lost faith and them I’m going to remember this.
Perk would have backed KG on that play.
Why wasn’t Perk in there for his defense? As i understand he had 5 fouls, not 6.
Doc's team has won 75.8 percent of its regular season games since Fall 2007
and a championship as well.
You are on here every loss calling for Doc’s head and offering no credit in the other direction after the wins, which – even amidst this recent cold stretch – vastly out-number the losses.
Wonderful.
-sw
Growing up in the Weinman household, you learn two rules very quickly if you aspire to reach double-digits in the years-of-age category: Hate thy Knick, hate thy Yankee.
Go Celtics, Go Dodgers. -sw
by Steve Weinman on Jan 29, 2010 12:45 AM EST up reply actions
Cut to the huddle during a timeout
How many times have we heard Doc say, “The first three minutes are really important. Let’s go guys.” That’s about it. Wonderful coaching techniques.
Maybe if he started holding some guys accountable for not boxing out it would be helpful rather than look over at Armond Hill and shake his head.
by lemonade sky on Jan 29, 2010 1:11 AM EST up reply actions
Just a reminder in re: huddles
As I understand it, television arrangements limit what portion of the huddle they can air, virtually to the point of removing all but the superficial, i.e. “The first three minutes are really important!”
Not sure it’s fair to judge Doc’s coaching stratagem on what we get from those bits.
-sw
Growing up in the Weinman household, you learn two rules very quickly if you aspire to reach double-digits in the years-of-age category: Hate thy Knick, hate thy Yankee.
Go Celtics, Go Dodgers. -sw
by Steve Weinman on Jan 29, 2010 1:50 AM EST up reply actions
plays after time out
Doesn’t Doc typically have one of the higher efficiency ratings for points on possession after a time out?
Maybe he says a little more than just “Let’s go guys.” …
Rasheed
Played well early on, but choked later in the game. Not only was there the airball on a great look at a three pointer, but he totally screwed up on his rotaton on Rashard Lewis. Although KG needs to play a little better as well.
Get a clue?
Ray Allen is a true professional and a big part of this team and locker room and Monta Ellis is a ball hog, no defense, slasher who needs the ball in his hands constantly to score with inflated stats on one of the worst teams in the leauge
You get a clue
ray allen has a good 2 years left in him...
monta has a good 10-12 years left in him…who would you want?
Learn how to spell Monta Ellis' name before saying to trade for him...
Which I believe would not be a good trade because he does not fit in our offense at all!
here's the thing though
what makes anyone think that we’re going to be healthy for the playoffs? Why does everyone assume that? KG hasn’t been healthy for 2 years and he sure didn’t look right tonight. most of our starters are bandaged up like mummies> we had nothing down the stretch and that’s been the pattern for 6 weeks now. we have nothing in the 2nd half.
We are old....admit it!!!!
Its a young man’s game and we’ve been exposed to that time after time this season! I do think KG is hurt though. He’s just not the same…the rebounds, fast breaks, lobs, post moves, defense all look un-KG like. I feel bad for him, but outside of Rondo and maybe Perk we’re not going anywhere with this squad!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by wingate on Jan 28, 2010 11:10 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Are you serious...
We took the damn Magic to seven games last year without KG and about a third of our lineup out… If we are completely healthy come playoff time how can you say we can’t be any of those teams in a seven game series which we very much can!
when the C's are playing their game
they can take down any team in the league in a 7 gm series. right now, they are not playing their game. i hope that changes very soon.
and being healthy is only part of it
they also need to be a little hungrier and a lot more consistent.
2 bits short
Keep harping on this , but Cs badly need a quick footed banger off the bench who can finish low. Powe with length. Baby cant elevate, Sheldon cant move. And a 2nd attack guard. Where DA (if so inclined) can get 2 bits…
When is that last time the Celtics played a complete game?
Been so long that I cannot remember. The Magic were AWFUL tonight, and yes, they had the refs in their pocket, but the Celts still has a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter and blew it. Sorry, but cahmpionship don’t do that too often and this is the fourth or fifth time this year the C’s have done this.
Say amen
ps a lot of attention is on the starters, but Baby continues to struggle. As for backing Ray and Paul, our moot is not “In Tony we Trust”. Need Q back.
The C's would of won this game if....
Pierce, Garnett and Baby played decent games.
Garnett seemed to be dragging his leg tonight and struggled all night offensively and on defensively.
Pierce was in a funk
Baby just continues to struggle and Ainge has to try to move him for a better backup power forward ASAP, since we need production at that position especially with Garnett’s health being a issue.
Thier were some good signs tonight;
Rasheed (aside from the air ball) played a nice solid game both offensively and defensively.
Tony Allen had another solid game both defensively and offensively also.
House broke out of his shooting slump.
Ray Allen had a great night offensively also.
Heart breaking loss though no doubt.
this could be a positive
i think the C’s are going to use this loss to fire themselves up. they should not have lost this game, they know that and they’re pissed. i think this team needed a bit of a wakeup call, and if this was it then I’m OK with that.
19 pts total from Pierce, KG & Rondo - that wasn't good.
Though all three did contribute positively in other ways, too much of the offense was on Ray, Eddie & Sheed – no way you can depend on hot 3 pt shooting for the whole game.
It hurt having Perk on the bench so much. We needed his post game to be part of the offense.
I wish they had driven Pierce on Howard once he had 5 to get him out of the game. But Pierce looked slow all night. I actually think he was struggling physically more than KG.
Here's one
They were destroying the Magic until the NBA’s patented 3rd quarter referee assist mode kicked in. the magic weren’t getting any assists, so the refs decided to chip in.
the c’s will be fine.
Reg -- the refs were bad, but
Event with all of the bad calls, the C’s were up 14 in the fourth quarter and the free throws were pretty even in that quarter. Plain and simple, the Celts choked tonight.
they would've been up by
at least twenty had the refs called it evenly in the third.
look, i give credit to Orlando for making the best of the opportunity that was given to them. But there is no denying that the refs flip the switch in the 3rd quarter of nba games when they are on national tv. They also flip a switch when there are two minutes to go in a game. It’s just the way they’re trained.
Umm... there was a HUGE foul disparity to enter the fourth.
Perk & Sheed were in deep foul trouble and Perk spent far too much of the game on the bench. That directly impacted how we could play defense – as in, we suddenly played it poorly. Its not a complex equation to explain why the C’s suddenly gave up 35 pts in the 4th quarter after giving up only 23, 17 & 21 in the first three. Suddenly we played soft with our bigs, allowing Howard and Lewis free reign.
They still had chances to win, but it was a huge hurdle to overcome.
We lost because
we didn’t rebound, to many turnovers, and yes, there were some bad calls, but we also contributed with some dumb ass fouls ourselves..
The good news
- Ray is BACK. That’s huge.
- Eddie is back too. Also big.
Bad news:
- Paul stunk. Doesn’t happen often, but he was bad.
- The ongoing deficits in KG’s lift and lateral motion were exposed tonight. Question is: when will KG get back to near-100%. Ok, near-90% will do. Right now, he looked ~70% (at best).
- Energy level just disappeared late in the 4th. Can we expect/hope that will not happen in the playoffs? I think so. Err… hope so.
- The refs: After all the travel calls they made tonight, not ONE was on Dwight Howard – who only takes a walk EVERY time he starts a dribble. At 7:30 in Q4, I saw him take FIVE steps prior to dribbling – with no call. The foul calls too were ridiculous. And the tech on Sheed for saying “and 1” was disgusting, and will be rescinded. All in all terrible refereeing.
Bottom line: we lost the game because we lost our energy in the 4th quarter. This is correctable, and we can expect it not to happen in the playoffs. (Some reasonable refereeing will also help a lot.)
Dude why do you always make statements like “Ray is back” or “sheed is a changed man” or “KG is back!!!” after single game performances? dude its 1 game, things will change, ray will struggle again, KG will be dragging his leg again and sheed will get techd again
I say Ray is back
…because Ray is back. Simple. We complain when he has 1 bad game… we can reasonably say he’s back when he has an excellent game. I saw him looking more confident in his last game, so tonight tends to confirm an incipient pattern.
Sheed IS changed. This tech tonight was total nonsense… it will (or should) be rescinded. Why are YOU ignoring all his other good-behavior games because of one unearned tech tonight?
KG is not back. I said the opposite.
Agree. I have been calling for the C's to trade for him all season.
. I have been calling for the C’s to trade for him all season.
He makes 4.5 million I think we can get him for Scal and his 3.5 million contract and Giddens 1 million contract.
If of course Chicago wants to trade him.
He may top out at 15 PG 7.5 RBG a game guy.
but he’s still real young and raw. He could be our KG’s replacement in the next coming years.
YesI think he would be a nice fit
this tear and in future years.
He can play the power forward position, but also can play long, strong small forwards also.
That would be great since strong those type of wing players have been giving us alot of problems this year.
He would also be a great back up behind Garnett this year as Baby seems to have regressed .
It's not my life
and it’s not my wife but what the hell is going on? Every time the C’s play on TV they find a different way to lose? Does it mean they can’t get it together come playoff time? Of course not, but they shoot 2’s with feet on the line, foul guys shooting 3’s give up a million O-boards, let a guy shoot a wide open(if extremely long) 3 when up by 3 then let a guy walk to the hoop for the winning score. They miss free throws, have 60% shooters make 3 of 4 followed by give up yet another O-board on a free throw! Ray Allen gets 20 early points then ZERO and commits a rookie foul. Don’t get me started. Hey they don’t owe me anything, I’ve seen all 17 Championships, but I really thought they’d compete better this year. Nearly all of the losses were winnable or practically in the win column.
disgusting!!!
no excuse for this loss—-none!!
They blew another winnable game because they stopped playing solid fundamental basketball.
- sloppy play in the second quarter as they start to really pull away by constantly turning over the ball trying to make passes that were too clever for their own good.
- sloppy ball came back in the third quarter again and Orlando gets closer.
- fourth quarter was lost because no one was boxing out when it was really critical—-not that they were boxing out at any time during the game.
- missed $%@$$ free throws again
If they played just smart fundamental basketball they’d have put this away in the 3rd. Refs weren’t great but can’t blame this on them. Fouls were lopsided but C’s still had the game in their control to win it.
The only bright spot was Ray and House both had a good shooting night at the same time. Too bad no one else besides Sheed showed up on offense.
and why did someone delete my friggin forum post?
was it ’cause “friggin” was in the title?
by rocknrollforyoursoul on Jan 28, 2010 11:17 PM EST reply actions
Rondo stopped pushing ball
How come in games like this it seems that Rondo starts calling plays, slowing the ball down, not attacking the basket. When he does that in the 3rd and mostly 4th quarter then he hands the ball off to Paul and its 1 on 5. No way can they get a good shot like that. Move the ball guys.
So why should we think the C's have a chance to win the championship?
They do still have the second best record in the east — but have lost most of their games against the top teams
They cannot play a full 38 minutes or even 36 for that matter
They simply cannot rebound
Their best defender is playing on one leg.
They still shoot well and play hard, but I honestly think time has passed them bu
Daniels coming back
Remember when he came in with Sheed and House at the end of the 1st/start of the 2nd Qsand the Celts would go on runs to double-digit leads?
by nba is the worst on Jan 29, 2010 12:07 AM EST up reply actions
Please
Stop with the “One bad game excuse”. We are old plain and simple. We are really the 4th best team in the East. What are we going to do when the playoffs start and we play a 7 game series in round 1 only to face Atlanta or Orlando in round 2?
We are going to get blown away come round 2. Again the rebounding difference showed and age bit us in that same spot again.
Every time they lose or just squeak by a bad team
Which is often, the two things we read are: regular season games are meaningless and it’s just one bad game.
C’s had this game won after a rondo hustle play and basket to put them up 3
KG couldnt defend lewis at all, or dwight howard, or anyone 1 on 1
Will take awhile
Bad leg and still out of shape
Celtics have lost a litle chemistry
When they get Daniels back and are playing together after the All Star game things will start clicking.
Here comes coach orion
“how long does it take to score a goal? LESS THAN A SECOND. That means no lead is safe if you can’t play defense! Now get this straight: I dont give a damn how many goals you score. I want 1 number on your mind. Zero. As in shutout”
by eshak20534 on Jan 28, 2010 11:20 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I am a Magic fan, And I too Blame the refs when things go south
Which after taking in these comments I will stop, It makes you look utterly stupid. Like a person who eats Razor blades.
"Memphis then used a pick-and-roll to get Conley free and he drove past Shaquille O'Neal for the go-ahead layup."
Yeahm you are right
The Magic did not shoot 40 free throws tonight and the Celtics did not shoot 18. That said, this was a complete and utter chock by the Celtics and another sad note this season.
it's not just Celtics/Magic games...
we’re watching theater in the NBA… time to go back to watching college games where the officiating is atrocious but not tuned for tv ratings
it is what it is....time to accept this team for what they are..KG isnt near being right..i dont blae the refs
i blame boston for giving up a big lead to a soft orlando team that wanted no business of winning..
by celticinorlando on Jan 28, 2010 11:26 PM EST reply actions
When we get marquis back I hope we can stay healthy the rest of the way so that we can figure out our timing with everything we look so out of sinc at times doc has had to play musical chairs with everything due to injury ,we are bi-polar in our play ,up and down good and bad pure extremes no consistency I guess the analogy or question would be would you rather play great in spurts or good over all . I will say this I honestly believe its imperitive that we obtain a back up PG the alternative is non ecistent as much as we talk about marquis or paul doin it both of those options are last options.The favt that we are quite possibly the least athletic team in the league means we have to be consistent and play to our strengths forcing our will on our opponents not playing to theirs or playing to level of it. I just have faith in this team as a whole what we have on paper if healthy and on the same page in a 7 game series we are as good as there is in the league
by reggie_35 on Jan 28, 2010 11:29 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Still more aprts to puzzle
Q will help pace Ray and Paul. Leaves two matters unaddressed. Rebounds/post presence and an attack guard to back Rondo. Even then the refs will be against us, right Reg? (lol).
ray allen...hot as fire...totally ignored in the 4th...and it looks like PP's game has been figured out
he doesnt get that call on the up fake and his doesnt get any call at the rim
by celticinorlando on Jan 28, 2010 11:29 PM EST reply actions
Wao what's happen!!!!
The next 3 game are important to see how the celtics are standing if we lose those 3 games we got 20 more days to make a trade happen because it’s mean that we are not going to do noting in playoff
DEJAVU
This team reminds me of the 88 Celtics. 2nd year removed from a championship, Star players riddled with injuries. Still strong but starting to look like a shell of their former selves.
by Scal4theallstargame on Jan 28, 2010 11:31 PM EST reply actions
Calling for trades is not helpful
Everybody has some idea for this or that guy in a trade for this and/or that Celtic, etc. After a loss like this… heck, after a win too… the important thing is to identify the flaws and find ways to improve them.
- Rondo going into Pierce-iso mode late in Q4 is one such flaw (when he walks the ball up, hands it to Paul, and walks away; ugh.)
- Poor defensive rebounding is another (giving up too many offensive rebounds to the other team).
- Poor energy level in Q4 is a big one to work on.
- Perk’s FTs, for sure.
- KG’s fitness, for sure.
Trading is not the answer. You can trade all you want… but these problem ain’t going away until they’re identified, addressed and attacked.
Well..
The problem is there isn’t a solution on the team to fix those problems. KG is hurt, Pierce is slow especially against athletic sf. I close my eyes everytime Luol Deng makes him look like a cardboard cut out on the court.
The celtics took the league by surprise in 2008 but since everyone has figured them out and can counter all their moves.
Boston needs explosive players that can get to the hole. Think back the last month or 2 at how many plays end up with no shot or bad shot away from the basket as the 24 second clock expires. Even NJN will dare them to shoot those all day long.
I'd like Ty Thomas
… he could help, for sure.
But they’re still going to have to stop going to the Paul-iso so much at the end of games, still have to stop their opponents’ offensive rebounds, still have to maintain energy levels in Q4, still hit their FTs, etc.
Shooting the refs wouldn’t be a bad idea either…………
Exactly what Tommy said in post-game. They need to be in attack mode at the end of games. Attack! Attack! Attack! You know, I really love Doc, but I almost always agree with what Tommy says they should’ve done that they didn’t do. Hmmm?
Tommy didn't say to shoot the refs . . .
at least I didn’t hear it tonight. I was trying to reply to Ragetti. lol.
Any body think we have a problem at the power forward postion?.
Garnetts health is always I guess going to be a issue this year I guess and Big Baby is struggling big time.
I really think we need to get more depth and production at the power forward position, especially before heading into the playoffs and need to trade for a talented power forward.
Any one else agree?
No
I do not want to trade for another big man when we probably could get one in a buyout if we need one that bad.
I’d much rather get a backup PG.
I think
Daniels will help us fill in the back up point guard lack of depth we currently have and we can also activate Ty Lue if Doc sees the need.
I think a young athletic back up power forward since Garnetts health is a issue and Baby is struggling badly.
We should be able to get a talented back up using Scals expiring valuable 3.4 million contract and maybe Giddens 1 million contract .
Some one like Tyrus Thomas of the Bulls would be perfect since he can play the power forward position and also help remedy another team weakness we have which is the need for a tall, long strong wing defender.
Absotluely
Need a Powe witth length. Or a Dr Frankenstein to merge BB footwork with Sheldons length and rebounding edge. No? Then a trade..
Wow
The world is not ending. We played great for 3 quarters and just can’t finish. Kg looks hurt again. The free throws 40-18 is rediculous and someone needs to look into the nba refs! Ainge knows we need help and he will get it, hopefully soon. That ending made me sick though. Onto the next game….
by Blackberry33 on Jan 28, 2010 11:37 PM EST via mobile reply actions
the bottom line for all the diehard KG supporters..he actually is hurting us more then helping us if he cant finish at the rim, grab double digit rebounds, defend anybody 1 on 1, and without his intensity hes almost useless
Yes i would love a good player with some athletisicm around rondo, its ridicoulous..KG plays 2 games and he turns into a shell
You are right on about tonight's game for the most part
KG was a defensive presence in the first half, but he gave the C’s nothing on offense, did not get to the foul line because he never went to the basket, and in the second half he was invisible. He is such a great player and it was painful to watch.
i'm afraid...
1) Cs don’t look like te dominant shut down defensive team they once were. They give uncontested layups away when they need a stop most
2) KG and PP seem like they’re trying to get back into game shape
3) Veteran teams are not supposed to let big leads get away consistently
4) Defensive rebounding is a HUGE issue…2nd chance points are killing us
5) Yes, it’s still January, there is a ton of season left, But these are definitely not encouraging
Yep
Only Jan and all those who think that everything will magically fall into place once the playoffs come have something else in store for them. We need to stop getting pumped on the boards.
by Scal4theallstargame on Jan 28, 2010 11:46 PM EST up reply actions
Only problem: focus
We play well at first, similar to our 2008 team, but then we build up a nice lead, and WE LOSE FOCUS! We think that we’re just doing so well that we don’t need to try and that’s why we’re losing!
I see this team as the best in the NBA by far, but only when we are healthy and focused! We have not lost a single game this season while focused. Just keep your head in the game guys!
~Aaron
by bostonceltics on Jan 28, 2010 11:41 PM EST via mobile reply actions
that 3-pt foul called on Ray was b.s.
gave Orlando the lead. ball was in the air before Ray touched that shooter. Tired of the refs in the nba. Big time.
40 Free Throws for Orlando
18 for Boston
That, my friends, is the game.
doc
He will figure it out. We got to give the young guys some time on the court. I am sick to my stomach!
by Blackberry33 on Jan 28, 2010 11:46 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Yeah, just like we should have Gabe Pruitt time on the court...
And then he got cut by the Knicks… Doc is with these players every single day… I’m one hundred percent sure he would be playing the young guys if they proved they were good enough to play.
it was all about free throw differential
you cannot beat a top team like Orlando when the referees call 100% more fouls on you.
Sorry but the refs have ruined the NBA
and I’m losing interest.
40 FT for Orlando
18 FT for Boston.
Celts earned the fouls
Pretty evenly called game – celts fouled quite a bit more than the Magic
by nba is the worst on Jan 29, 2010 12:17 AM EST up reply actions
I agree...but
…if taking it inside doesn’t yield comparable calls on both ends, it takes one very valuable facet out of the Celt’s game..and yes, when tired/discouraged legs start missing jumpers (open or not), it’s going to be a tough row to hoe for the foreseeable future.
by walking through the door on Jan 29, 2010 12:22 AM EST up reply actions
disagree - 'did not see an "evenly called game"
and the numbers certainly don’t support your contention.
Simple equation
Energy down=fouls up. The problems for the C’s have been the same all along. rebounds (=energy), backup for Rondo, minutes for Ray-Paul. injuries.
youth
Give the young guys a chance.
by Blackberry33 on Jan 28, 2010 11:49 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Doc
Needs to get the ball into Rondo’s hands and let him take charge in the 4th. He looks lost bringing the ball up looking for PP or KG to get a touch and then moving off to the side. Boston plays much better when Rondo is in charge and can break down the D for the layup or kickout.
Somehow I knew we would blow it tonight. I hope getting marquis back will help us close out games.
by Blackberry33 on Jan 28, 2010 11:53 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Marquis Daniels is a decent player
I just don’t get all of the “when Marquis gets back, he’s going to do this and that.” He is a good NBA backup small forward or 2 guard. He will help, but he will not solve the rebdounding and defensive problems, nor will he make KG’s knee better.
Ray
What happened to him in the 4th qtr? How come we did not get him the ball then? He was having a great night.
by Blackberry33 on Jan 28, 2010 11:58 PM EST via mobile reply actions
the other side of the foul discrepancy
Admittedly, I’m a newbie here, but I’ve been watching the Cs since the 80’s, so I’ve seen a bit…I’m not prone to be too critical of officiating…calls are going to be calls…but it seems when there is a bit of one-sidedness, the Celts become understandably more passive both offensively and on the glass…we were shooting well early, so when things started going decidedly in the Magics favor, we stopped looking to go inside…Glen(aka the artist formerly known as BBD) and Paul both tried to go inside during the fourth, drew some modest contact, didn’t get a call, only to have a call go Orlando’s way at the other end…at that point we started settling for the perimeter game in hopes we’d rekindle the heat from the first half, but it wasn’t there…I mean, I can live with call (have to, don’t I) but it really affects the way the Boys in Green play…any thoughts?
by walking through the door on Jan 29, 2010 12:06 AM EST reply actions
i agree
the momentum was shifted by the refs tonight much like the last game against the hawks.
there's no doubt
they can get discouraged.
FORTY free throws for Orlando.
guys I don’t care what else happened do you realize that
is a chance for FORTY points ?
Boston -18 FT’s.
THAT IS THE GAME.
stop it with the "youth" junk
really that comment is getting old.
younger is not better for sake of beig younger.
Uh oh,
there’s that logic-and-reason bit, rearing it’s ugly head again.
Be careful there….
:-D
-sw
Growing up in the Weinman household, you learn two rules very quickly if you aspire to reach double-digits in the years-of-age category: Hate thy Knick, hate thy Yankee.
Go Celtics, Go Dodgers. -sw
by Steve Weinman on Jan 29, 2010 3:33 AM EST up reply actions
Semantics
It´s not about younger, per se, it´s also about hunger, players in their prime who combine certain traits, and the fact that we don´t have one player (except for Daniels) in his prime, while the opposing teams has several of these guys on the court, in my humble opinion. At the highest level, these little things make all the difference in the world between stopping Rashard for the layup or not, especially in the NBA where so many games are decided in the last few seconds of a game.
I will admit that I can´t come up with one logical, “indestructable” argument why this team needs more players in their prime, and that is because I simply lack the words to describe the dynamics that cause the actual situation.
I can, however, say that I watched a load of team sports with constant moving in the last 20 years (Basketball, Soccer, Handball, Icehockey), and that we show all the signs of a “has-been-champion”, that the makeup of our team doesn´t look as if they can (or want to) overcome adversity on the court. I simply trust my instincts and experience on this one.
I know, that´s not a good argument to convince someone on the Internet, you are free to disagree, but that is the best I can do to formulate an explanation.
Do you think...
Do you think “the greasy wheel” mentality the Celts have become renowned for when it comes to fouling has jaded the officiating to the point where we’ve shot ourelves in the foot for the remainder of this season. Again, I don’t want to bail Doc and the boys out for some (or perhaps frequent) lapses by scapegoating the refs, but this is becoming a recurring theme in many games against upper level opponents. I fear we might have official donning green blinders before even taking off their warm-ups.
by walking through the door on Jan 29, 2010 12:16 AM EST reply actions
The free throw disparity was ridiculous
But, with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Celtics had a 14 point lead. And, Orlando already had 5 fouls with about 7:50 left in the game and the C’s were in the bonus. So yes, the disparity was there, but plain and simple the Celtics played like crap in the 4th quarter and got beaten by a team that is not nearly as good as they are.
I think the problem is less the free throw disparity (though the raw points did hurt) than the PFs.
The personal foul trouble put Perk on the bench and had Sheed playing tentative defense. That changed completely how the team played defense. It was directly after they each got their 4th foul that Lewis started to take off – because suddenly he had lots of room and reason to play aggressive. The result was obvious – after giving up just 23, 17 & 21 pts in the first three periods, they suddenly gave up 35.
If you don’t want to blame the officiating, you can blame the Celtics for getting INTO foul trouble. But the simple fact is that it was the deep foul trouble that caused them to play such poor defense in the 4th.
beat the hawks and lakers
That will make my weekend!
by Blackberry33 on Jan 29, 2010 12:19 AM EST via mobile reply actions
LOL No Chance
very likely 0-3 this weekend
Refs hate the Celtics. What what the free throw differential?
Just a few tired old men collapsing again late in the game.
I think they might beat the Lakers on Sunday
Depends on whether KG can get up and down the court.
I definetly do agree that refs hate the cetics…and u know what? they should, besides ray and rondo this team never stops whining and complainin…but the refs werent the reason we lost, like u said the tired old men has more to do with it
The C's are middle of the road when it comes to getting fouls called on them
While I definitely think the refs in the NBA suck beyond suck, and I definitely believe that some games have been completely influenced negatively by really bad ref calls, overall I don’t think the Celtics are hated by the refs any more than they hate the typical NBA team.
2nd round sweep?
Record now versus top teams in east… 2 – 5
Reminds me of the Hawks game
suspicious Tech on Rasheed followed by huge FT disparity.
Doea Anyone Seriously Think...
that this team can contend for a championship?
It’s 1988 all over again, even though Ainge refuses to admit it publicly.
guard
We need another back up point that can rebound who cares about points we need boards. Bbd had some good boards tonight. Pierce shot horrible. Why is sheed taking the game winning shot? Shouldn’t pierce or allen take that shot?
by Blackberry33 on Jan 29, 2010 12:24 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Do they keep stats on how many times a player gets his shot blocked?
Glen Davis seems to get blocked at least 50 percent of the time when he takes the ball to the hoop. Not good.
Last I checked Hoopdata,
the Infant was second in the league in percentage of shots blocked.
That’s the place to go for an update.
-sw
Growing up in the Weinman household, you learn two rules very quickly if you aspire to reach double-digits in the years-of-age category: Hate thy Knick, hate thy Yankee.
Go Celtics, Go Dodgers. -sw
by Steve Weinman on Jan 29, 2010 3:35 AM EST up reply actions
sheed
He did have a good game though except the technical foul. Since when did yelling and 1 get you a T?
by Blackberry33 on Jan 29, 2010 12:28 AM EST via mobile reply actions
did you see the hissy fit and tantrum that Vince Carter threw midway through the 2nd?
He was upset for being called for a blocking foul on Pierce and freaked out. No T.
If that was Sheed or Perk he would have probably been flagged for a double T on the spot.
This is the second T he has gotten this year for yelling and 1 and waving his arm
The first got rescinded. However, I think he waved his arm harder on this one, so don’t know if it also will be wiped out. I hope so.
Rasheed's Ts
I do not understand why Rasheed Wallace would rather focus what little energy he has arguing with refs over calls and always screaming ball dont lie. I think if he puts that kind of passion and energy in doing work in the post as he does arguing calls and screaming ball dont lie, maybe we would undefeated right now.
You're delusional if you believe...
….that we’re not UNDEFEATED just because of Rasheed. That’s hilarious.
I gotta go to bed, but....
The fourth quarter collapse is probably the worst by this team since the new big three began. Outscored 35-22. My guess is nothing like that has happened in the last three seasons. And, for the game, the C’s were outrebounded by 15. This single game illustrated almost all of the reasons why the Celtics will likely go out in the second round of the playoffs this year. But, if they play hard, I will be okay with that, because they got us a championship two years ago.
And, regarding the officials — the mouths of the Celtics are likely one of the reasons they NEVER get the benefit of the doubt anymore. Guys like Sheed and Perk can make it much more difficult with the refs.
So can hitting people in the face
“And, regarding the officials — the mouths of the Celtics are likely one of the reasons they NEVER get the benefit of the doubt anymore. Guys like Sheed and Perk can make it much more difficult with the refs.”
Just sayin’…
by nba is the worst on Jan 29, 2010 7:54 AM EST up reply actions
Is he injured or not?
what is going on with kg. RASHARD LEWIS IS NOT THAT GOOD! and with kg guarding him got to the rim at will. so frustrating. if hes injured and continues to play like he did tonight then why not just sit him until his knee is right again? maybe im just overreacting and he just needs a few games to get back in the flow….
also
Big Baby, They’re called Jumpsoles. Look into them.
"BING BAM BOOM BRUNO!!!" - Tommy Heinson on Bruno Sundov
Dethklok Fan
Jumpsoles won't help
Losing 40-50 pounds on the other hand, will. News Flash For Glen Davis: Losing the “Big Baby” moniker doesn’t make you thinner, son.
Doc said he thought KG just had a bad game, and is not hurt. Who knows, but sounds about right… until further evidence comes in.
Can anyone on this team rebound except Rondo?
I’ve read through all the posts and hand-wringing after this game saying the Celtics cannot win as presently constituted. Thay may be correct.
Someone needs to instruct this team in how to rebound the ball. It’s alarming how many offensive rebounds they cough up without, I have to say, getting any of their own. That lack of rebounding is a guaranteed title killer/ I don’t care if they are not as athletic or long as other teams. What they really could use is a guy like Millsap or DeJuan Blair, but more than that to have the coaches make rebounding a priority for the entire team.
The lack of rebounding
is a big concern.
The players need to improve it, because it has been (among others also ) a Achilles heal for us all year long.
the 60% solution
Two regulars who can’t shoot 60% from the line and a once dominant player who is barely more than just another body
by Celtsfansince55 on Jan 29, 2010 1:56 AM EST reply actions
Perk's gotta improve
…his FTing. Really… spend a couple of days with Ray shooting 10,000 FTs, then keep practicing till you get it right. An improvement from 60% to 80% would mean approximately 0 to 3 additional points per game (average of 1.2)… enough to win a few extra games, and possibly enough to win one playoff game/series.
Doc said KG had a bad game… not to read more into it than that. But of course, you never know…
Bring back McCarty
At least when we had McCarty, Sundov (the Croatian Calamity), Mr. 38% and crew losing was so much more fun.
by Celtsfansince55 on Jan 29, 2010 3:26 AM EST reply actions
NO excuse ... Not even "This is just a meaningless game in January"
Real good teams won’t lose games like this in January or April or June. Great teams find ways to win no matter it is January, April or June. Contenders just won’t let a double- digit lead slips away.
Don’t look now. The Lakers and the even young Hawks are lining up next.
A trade won't help
Rearranging the chairs on the Titanic won’t help. This or that replacement for Baby or a backup point for Rondo won’t matter. What is needed and will happen is a complete reworking of the roster at the end of the year and an attempt to sign one of the leading free agents.
by Celtsfansince55 on Jan 29, 2010 4:28 AM EST reply actions
I'm not going to say anything I regret
But this team just isn’t very good. And I’m sick of hearing Weinman being a referee apologist. Stop it.
Irony
Water under the bridge, but the team threw the dice with baby over Powe, since he later would be out rehabbing and… baby breaks hand, misses time, comes back and is not playing great. Really really could use a shot of Leon-Like energy under the rim.
In my humble opinion, the most difficult loss to stomach so far this season. Not only because we blew a 14 point lead in the 4Q, but because PP, KG and Rasheed seemed a couple of steps behind everyone else. Not a good sign when we are only half way through the season. Not sure why Perk was not in for the last few minutes. He can play with 5 fouls and would have certainly had KG’s back on Lewis’ drive. Sheed was way too late on that play. Also, why not play Shelden Williams on the defensive side late in the 4Q? He could have racked up a few quick fouls against Howard and put him on the line. Then take Williams out while Howard is missing his free throws. Instead we have Sheed in for defense which was non-existent in the 4Q. He also does not seem like a pass first guy on this team, even though he is a good passer. I like Sheed, but I am beginning to think he is not a good fit. Need a younger forward/center off the bench,
Lot of bandwagoneers on here, though. Disappointing. We should not give up on this team. They will find a way to get it down. If we beat the Hawks tonight and the Lakers on Sunday, last night’s loss will be much easier to take,
Most of the blame rests on Doc
No timeouts when the Magic start running in the fourth. Bad rotations. Take a breather FFS Doc and collect your team and get back to playing “Celtics” basketball. Walking the ball up the floor and playin the clock – that ALWAYS works. Let the crowd get into the game for the first time of the night. ATTACK THE BASKET WHEN THE MAGIC ARE OVER THE LIMIT! (ugh)
Take a timeout and smack some sense into the team. What the hell happen to getting Ray the ball? The guy is on fire and the ball goes to Pierce who (although he hit a 3 at the end to go up by 1) wasn’t having a great game at all.
2 Other points:
Missed Free throws (Perkins should never play in the 4th quarter in a close game like this… ever)
REBOUND THE BALL DON’T STAND AROUND THINKING SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO GET IT
Not going to complain about the refs too much but wow there was a lot of shoving of Celtics players in the first half. Dwight just throwing everyone around.
BTW Marv got Reggie so heated when he asked him about his 3 point record and how Allen is going to break it hahaha. I love it. You could tell Reggie wanted to choke him.
Bad bad loss. Lets hope for a quick turn around tonight!
Doc has just quit playing Sheldon
Doesn’t make sense to me
by nba is the worst on Jan 29, 2010 9:46 AM EST up reply actions
No kidding
How many times did Gortat (where the hell did he come from? jeez) stuff Glen last night? The guy has NO ups at all. He only gets rebounds when he throws his weight around not by actually getting up for them.
Did Shelden call Doc’s mom a bad name or something? If Glen is having that bad of a night why not throw in Shelden for a minute or two to see how he does on Gortat? It just doesn’t make sense to me. Glen was Mr. Stonehands tonight too on a couple of sweet passes from KG.
by SpecialistK on Jan 29, 2010 10:01 AM EST up reply actions
Yes Sheed
is slow on defensive switches (what big man is not), but he played great defense last night denying Howard the ball and hassling him.
Lets keep in mind we are lucky to have Sheed because we will have to go through Shaq and the Cavs and / or Howard and the Magic and Sheed has a history of defending both those players very well, since his length and bulk bothers them.
A example is when Howard was scoring late in the game at will against Perk, Doc brought Sheed in and Howard was shut down and denied the ball.
Agree with your point no one should give up on the team yet as that would be insane.
But constructive criticism of the team by posters I think serves a beneficial purpose to point out team weak spots.
Poor officiating
The officals that worked that game last night should be embarrassed! The totally took Perkins out of the game in the 4th quarter with bad calls. How many free throws did they give the orlando bums. Gortat is a big overrated bumI thought Boston looked better last night than they have in while. Give them some time. Garnett or not I still think they have a shot in the east.
I agree the officiating wasn't the greatest
but we did commit some dumb fouls ourselves. I would say 25-30 were legit, and of those, 10 were just stupid fouls by us. So about 10-15 were bad calls. I am not a big fan of Rasheed, but his T was horseshit. I see guys do what he did everynight and never get called for that. He has to realize that and keep his mouth shut though.
another game to play
they have avenge this loss for the next game coz they’re playin atl next! thank GOD for back to backs. hope they win it!
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