In Search Of The Perfect Storm
by Jeff Clark on Jun 9, 2010 5:06 AM EDT
in Boston Celtics Articles
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PrintNobody really stepped up in game 1 until it was largely too late, but Pierce led the way in the scoring column. Ray and Rondo carried the team to a victory in game 2 but Garnett was still absent. KG finally snapped out of his delirium with a huge game 3 but Ray disappeared and Paul and Rondo had so-so games.
Throughout the playoffs, the best offensive games we've had have been marked by offensive balance. Rondo spreads the ball around and everyone seems to have 17, 18, 19 or 20 points each. On nights like that you get the feeling that any one of those guys could have gone for 30 but they are all content to make the extra pass and share the wealth.
There's still hope for a few of those perfect storm games to happen in these playoffs, but we're running out of time. We'll need that offensive balance and ball movement that seemed to be missing last night.
Credit the Lakers for making life difficult, in particular in the paint. Their bigs didn't get the playoff record 14 blocks from a few nights ago, but they did get 7, which is still very good. The Celtics don't look comfortable driving to the hoop anymore and you can see that they are thinking twice with their layups (always a bad thing).
With that said, if the Celtics are executing the offense and being patient enough to look for the 3rd and 4th option, they should be able to get buckets. We saw a few too many "hero shots" as Doc likes to call them.
Of course there were also a lot of open looks that didn't go in too. Ray in particular had some nice, open looks that he normally takes advantage of (at least a couple times in a typical game). But the shots just weren't falling.
I'm taking a glass half full approach to this. Chances are pretty good that Ray will even out and have a more typical game. Chances are good that we'll see Paul Pierce have a good night pretty soon. Chances are pretty good that Garnett has turned a corner and won't look as bad as he did in games 1 and 2. Chances are very good that Rondo can sense when all 3 of them are doing well and orchestrate the offense like symphony conductor. If all that happens, I like our chances.
If it doesn't happen soon, chances are this series won't end the way we'd like it to.
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I thought your next piece Jeff would be NEED MORE FROM PP
or THE UGLY GAME from RAY…
BUT with this piece, you’ve covered a;; the bases..and yes, the Celtics do need each and everyone perfect to win 3 of the next 4 is a daunting task indeed.
"No I’m not KG. Not at all, but I’m Big Baby Glen Davis from LSU, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I’m not the Big Ticket. I’m the Ticket Stub. Don’t count the Ticket Stub out. You might need the ticket to get in the game, but you leave with the ticket stub, because you’ll never forget this game."
I don't think we need everyone to be perfect (though that would be great)
We just need everyone to be at least nominally productive and at least 2 guys to be hot (preferably 3).
too passive
Rondo has played his game once and we won….go for broke and get to the hole…he was way too tentative last nite…gotta bring it thursday
Everytime Paul Pierce says a bold statement (even if it wasn't really meant to be heard by the media), we lose.
Maybe it’s time for the Captain to shut his big mouth and make a statement with his play, not with his words.
"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot." - Bill Russell
+1
just dissapointed in our captain, I know he has been ok but certainly not what we all expect of him, in the FINALS no less… He needs to step up, He used to like playing against LA as he can easily tops 20+ a game against them…Maybe Artest does get into his head or what I don’t know but I think PP is the one element of the BIG three that should never have an off night if eather KG or Ray is out of synch, we all know about the Rondo element but PP is our captain, he should take responsibility and let his play do all the yapping not his mouth.
"No I’m not KG. Not at all, but I’m Big Baby Glen Davis from LSU, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I’m not the Big Ticket. I’m the Ticket Stub. Don’t count the Ticket Stub out. You might need the ticket to get in the game, but you leave with the ticket stub, because you’ll never forget this game."
Still got faith, still think we can win this
I absolutely believe in this team and I absolutely believe that we can still win the whole thing. LA has not won four games yet.
And I never do this, I don’t like to speculate on possible injuries when we haven’t heard anything officially, but do we think there’s something wrong with KG’s left shoulder? Seems that when he consciously thinks about it, everything’s fine, but in the heat of the moment, he’s not using that arm as strongly as we’re used to seeing.
Regardless, roll on Game 4. This isn’t done and this team isn’t done. Let’s make more history!
Aussie Girl, Celtics Fan.
+1
That’s what I’m talking about! It’s not over by a long shot! The Lakers have only won two games. And after three games it’s still as close as it could be, granted I wish it were the other way around. The Celtics just want to blemish a couple records along the way, make some history. I feel like the team got banged up pretty bad in the Orlando series and they might start to come around for Game 4. I STILL BELIEVE!!! GO CELTICS!!!
at least, the defensive intensity was there. i thought they lost the game when the first wave of subs came in and did nothing. doc probably stayed with them too long.
Felt the same way...
But then I also felt like it was the subs that got us back into the game too. And then it was basically on everybody for not being able to get over the hump. Good game for KG, hope he’s got a few more of those.
And maybe it was too early for KG to go out since he was the one scoring early (or even Rondo, but he already has 2 fouls)
"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot." - Bill Russell
by Marjun Raposon on Jun 9, 2010 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
SPASTICball...
…is what they were playing last night – they can win the next two at home if they play together as a team -
Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk
Too Much Negativity!!
Reading all the posts this morning and amazing how many folks (once again) are giving up on this team. Although the format was different, we were down 2-1 to Cleveland and won. Anyone remember that? Anyone remember that we beat Cleveland and the Magic twice on their home court in the playoffs, and have already won a game in LA? We still have 2 more at home and can go into LA 3-2. As good as we have played on the road this post-season, I will take those odds of getting 1 of 2 in LA.
Lot of good can be taken from this game. Garnett has figured Gasol out. Allen and Pierce (when he played) had good looks and it is not likely they will miss those shots again. We rallied from 17 down. Baby proved he can rebound with the big boys. It was close right to the end and 2 of our big 3 played poorly. We get game 4 and we are rigt back in it, with the stage set for a huge game 5 at home. No need to give up or panic.
The biggest problem is
They stole homecourt advantage and gave it right back 48 hours later. I know they playe well on the road, but a win last night for the C’s would have put huge pressure on the Celts.
But did anyone really think the Celtics would win the next 3 games? I think many of us believe (and still do) that if the Celtics took 2/3 at home they would be in a great position to get the final win in LA. Ideally, love to have the 4-1 series win but this is far from over. The Celtics demonstrated last night we can hang with the Lakers when 2 of our main guys have off nights. Let’s get to 2-2 and take it from there.
Ddin't
think they would win all three at home either, better get the next one…
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Stay thirsty my friends."
by Great Gatsby on Jun 9, 2010 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions
No, didn't expect them to win all 3 at home
But it’s very disheartening that they lost Game 3, the first game at home. That makes the next TWO games must wins because if they head back to LA down 2-3, then it really is over.
Really, none of these games have had all 4 starters playing well.
Game 1, no one really brought it, Game 2 was Ray & Rondo, Game 3 was KG. If the C’s can get 2 starters going every game from here on out, they can win. Props to the bench for keeping the Celts in the game last night.
So many missed layups and blown opportunities
let’s just friggin EXECUTE!!! how many uncontested layups have we missed? how many free throws did we brick in the first half?? If the celtics can just get out of their own way, they’re gonna win this thing.
Celtics now must win 3 of the next 4...
Against a very good team, that is using 2008 as their “battle-cry” revenge.
Hate saying it, but…we have officially entered the “We-Need-A-Miracle” stage of this series.
not quite
We’re not at miracle stage just yet. We have yet to play a game where we are firing on all cylinders. I totally expect everyone to come out in the next 2 games and put in great performances playing in must-win situations. No doubt its going to be grueling to win the next 3 out of 4, nut this team can and will pull it off!
Celts are not dead...but they NEED to start getting a few breaks
So far, they`ve had none.
Overreaction. We beat the Cavs three in a row to close the series and took the first two road games in Orlando. Both very good teams. Top two records in the league. It can be done. One game at a time. Momentum is swinging back and forth in this series. Get this even at 2-2 and a Game 5 at the Garden is to our advantage. Although the Lakers are happy they will play again in LA, they do not want to go back down 3-2. As Sheed said, the buttholes may get tight, especially in front of the home crowd. The Lakers have not played a game in the playoffs in the last 2 years where they faced elimination. Let’s send them home down 3-2 and make them uncomfortable.
The Lakers played a game 7 against Houston last year, and destroyed them. Not comparing the Celtics to the Rockets by any means, but you are wrong when you say that the Lakers have not faced an elimination game.
You are right LA Majo. I had forgotten about that. Thanks for correcting me. Bottom line is no team wants to be down 3-2, whether home or not. A game 7 in this series would be awesome and somewhat fitting given how these teams battle, Cardiologists from around the country would have to keep their beepers on.
Kevin Garnett has to play more than 31 minutes we he is on a roll
It is the third game of the NBA finals, and KG plays 31 minutes. That just does not make any sense, unless he is injured.
Agreed
Doc pulled him too early in the 1st. Especially with how on fire he was. As soon as KG went out, so did the celtics. That 17 point mountain was just too much.
Yeah. That was really odd on the part of Doc.
I know he wanted KG to have his rest, but still…
"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot." - Bill Russell
by Marjun Raposon on Jun 9, 2010 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Imagine
Imagine, Celtics would win this game, Lakers didn’t do anything special last night, count 3 or 4 made shoots from Ray Ray and they would win. Stop crying that C’s will loose this Finalas, they crushed LA in their own home, and nobody has done that since plaoff started.
Nr . 2 Perk was sitting whole 4 quarter, what was wrong?
ps. Bynum has tweaked his knee, yea
How do you know he tweaked his knee? He did not play much in the 4th but I thought that was more because Odom was playing well and his game is more diverse.
I'm changing my name from Thomas....
back to Mike. I’ve been doubting this team all year. Started right after christmas. Everytime I think they are dead, they pull a “Jason”. No more negativity and doubt for me. I know this team can do it, I know this team will do it. Think about all the negative crap this year,
we’re done, trade ray, trade rondo, we’re old, we’re hurt, KG’s done. This team will dig down deep and get it done.
After Game 3 1984........
“Played like a bunch of Sissies”
Somebody needs to step up and call this team out.
Preferably “EL Capitan”
+1
"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot." - Bill Russell
by Marjun Raposon on Jun 9, 2010 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, forget him calling the team out for now
He’s said quite enough already! I love him, but I’m very disappointed with all his “talk” right now.
Huh? The Celtics did not play like sissies last night. Far different than Game 3 in 1984. Bird had every right to call them out because the Lakers had mandhandled them. But our guys played tough and hard last night. Baby and Perk rebounded well. Garnett took it to Gasol every time. Allena simply missed shots and Pierce was plagued by foul trouble. I did not think toughness was the issue last night. Want to pinpoint the problem? Free throws is a good place to start. How many did Rondo miss?
Rondo's FT percentage
I remember reading that it went from 83% in the Miami series to 58% in the Orlando series. I have no idea what it is now…
He is 4-13 or 31 percent at the line in the Lakers series
Completely unacceptable. Most kids in youth basketball from the 7th grade and up shoot better than 31 percent from the free throw line.
31 percent?
Ouch. I mean, I know he’s been missing a lot of free throws, but I didn’t realize just how bad it is. Why in the world does he keep getting worse after each series?
My point is that they need a wake up call...
they don’t fall asleep again. Apparently they don’t want this bad enough.
by Steal by Bird on Jun 9, 2010 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions
this isn't on any one guy
but Pierce and Ray obviously need to play better for us to win and Rondo needs to understand what he has to do in order for us to win. He can’t take a night off like he did last ngiht and like he’s done all season. He has a tendency to follow up a great game with a “coaster” and that’s what he did last night. His D on the ball was soft and in the 4th Fisher took full advantage of it. If Rondo won’t fight through the pick then put RObinson in there. On O I thought that Rondo pounded the dribbel and ran the shot clock down all night forcing us to take bad shots. OUr offense ran best when Ray actually put the ball on the floor. In hindsight , the Artest knee to ray’s thigh in the first qtr clearly hurt Ray. Once again, as in game one, we allowed the lakers to man handle us and we didn’t respond. It’s maddening to watch this team get up for agame as in game 2 and then come home and play soft. But we’ve done that all year.We lost all the hustle plays last night and we committed dumb plays on top of that. This one is over unless : 1) Pierce,Allen and KG start playing well at the same time and 2) Bynum can’t go
This series will go seven games either way. More games, More money the NBA makes.
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by bestbostonsports on Jun 9, 2010 11:40 AM EDT reply actions
For sure!
Hope I don’t jinx, but look for the refs to sway the game in our favor tomorrow night. Not that I think we’ll need it though. Look for everyone to come to play in game 4.
Game 4 will be very interesting
There’s no doubt that the Celtics will bring it on Game 4 but just like how someone on the Celtics step up each game it seems to look that way for the Lakers as well. Note to the Celtics for Thursday: Can someone please stop Derek Fisher?!
agree
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by bestbostonsports on Jun 9, 2010 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I am eagerly waiting for the perfect storm to come...and it needs to come soon..as in tomorrow night's game
I think it will be very important for our guys to play very smart basketball, and try not to get into any sort of foul trouble.
Foul trouble for our key guys has kept them from getting into their rhythm and its hurting us bad.
I also look to see us be very aggressive and push the ball. I think last night Rondo dribbled and waited way too much (mayb it was Laker’s great defense), but for that not to happen again we need to run and set up our offense before they get a chance to set up their defense.
Not to go into a SVG-Panic-Like mode…but we NEED A WIN TOMORROW….I am still down by last night’s loss.
I think these are just two great defensive teams playing ball. Rondo struggling for this series has to do with Kobe guarding him in the half court and doing everything in his power to prevent penetration. Artest is making life for pierce difficult and fisher is doing an admirable job chasing around Ray Ray. Game 2 Ray and Rondo had their only outstanding game of the series when Kobe and fish had 2 early fouls and had to be replaced with brown and farmar. However I thnk game 3’s loss is all on PP. When artest gets two fouls early on and you are going up Luke Walton you have to dominate. You have to stop reaching in to avoid possibly picking up Ticky tack fouls and you have to dominate the game. I could understand Doc being frustrated at losing key players to foul trouble every game but Ray Allen is guarding Kobe while KG is guarding Gasol/Bynum/Odom. That puts those two guys in constant defensive situations where they might have to commit one or two fouls a game just to prevent easy buckets. pierce doesn’t have a challenging matchup and he needs to avoid trying to be a roamer and getting foul calls.
Kobe though. Is proving why the coaches keep voting him all-defensive first team. It’s always been about kobe’s ability to play defense rather than what he does night in and night out because of his offensive responsibilities. But he SHUT down Westbrook and is now shutting down Rondo. Rondo’s only great game was game 2 with Kobe in foul trouble. For rondo to only score 11 points without getting 12-13 assists means Kobe Is playing really effective defense.
On the flip side, your team does an amazing job on Kobe. He hasn’t had one GREAT shooting % game against your team in 3 years. He still manages to be our best player because Kobe is as complete as they come but man your team makes it difficult on Kobe to score efficiently. He still out rebounded Garnett, led our team in points, blocks, assists and steals while stopping Rondo though, and that’s a “bad” game by Kobe lol
The mind
Ray, Pierce and Garnett act like they forget how to play basketball..Ray did not execute a two on one, Pierce is clumsy as well as Garnett and Garnet with his long arms let Kobe poke the ball out, he rebounds with one hand/arm.whats up with those guys?
Oh, that 2 on 1 break with Allen and KG was a disaster. I lept out of my seat with disgust at that one. If fact, I was out of my seat quite a bit last night. The dog was looking at me very funny. Hope she is home when I return from work.
by JPV on Jun 9, 2010 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Trying to put things in perspective
For my own benefit as much as anything. Sure, it would stink to lose the Finals. But, when I think back, I felt a sense of satisfaction when we beat Cleveland. Then beating Orlando and getting here was sort of just gravy. Of course I found myself getting greedy and wanting more and more and more from this team. But I guess what I’m trying to say is they’ve already far exceeded my expectations because I never thought they had a switch and they proved that they did. I’m not trying to say that just getting here is good enough because I want to win, but I think I should try to be satisfied with the season regardless.
made a comment about a Laker troll
that he wasn’t the norm and that all teams have there trolls. That I was glad that KG had a good aggressive game and that i hope that all of your player don’t break out at once because that would be bad for the Lakers and my comment was removed. I guess you guys don’t want any other poster except Celtic fans no matter how civil they are. Have a nice day and I hope for a good clean game 4
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