Series Thread: 2nd Round: 2) Boston Celtics vs 3) NY Knicks

[The Q]

They just go so far with it, they are first in the league with 48.2 attempts a game, a huge jump of almost 6 more per game over the 2nd place team (no surprise, Golden State)

They are also last in 2 point attempts, 5 below the next to last team

They’d have to be an elite ORB team to not be in the bottom 5

 

[Wamu]

They just go so far with it, they are first in the league with 48.2 attempts a game, a huge jump of almost 6 more per game over the 2nd place team (no surprise, Golden State)

They are also last in 2 point attempts, 5 below the next to last team

Gotta be honest. Obviously I've watched all the Celtics games this season.

But during the regular season I started getting tired of all the three's.

Night after night, it got boring.

 

[msgkings322]

They’d have to be an elite ORB team to not be in the bottom 5

They are 10th out of 30 in ORB per game for whatever that's worth

But I can see why you hate this team considering how much they use the gimmick

 

[realityball]

This is probably the Celtics last real run at a title for a while.

No doubt. Brown could be gone. Holiday's contract I think is 100 million+. Bye-bye. And pretty sure My favorite current Celtic D. White will be gone too.

Tatum should demand a trade...to the Cavs.

that’s been the speculation for most all of the season … mazzula’s been questioned about all the 3s but the team was making them and took the heat off the coach until now … no matter the outcome, Mazzula will take all the heat

 

[trojanfan12]

They just go so far with it, they are first in the league with 48.2 attempts a game, a huge jump of almost 6 more per game over the 2nd place team (no surprise, Golden State)

They are also last in 2 point attempts, 5 below the next to last team

The difference seems to be that the Warriors have generally been smart enough to start shooting 2's if the 3 isn't falling, the C's just shoot more of them. lol

Steph especially, has always been pretty smart about...if his 3 is off, he starts driving to the hoop looking for layups or drawing fouls...then he goes back to the 3 and usually starts hitting it.

 

[tlance]

The difference seems to be that the Warriors have generally been smart enough to start shooting 2's if the 3 isn't falling, the C's just shoot more of them. lol

Steph especially, has always been pretty smart about...if his 3 is off, he starts driving to the hoop looking for layups or drawing fouls...then he goes back to the 3 and usually starts hitting it.

You say this a lot. I don’t think it’s accurate.

Steph is just a smart player. He takes what the defense gives. If he is crowded, he drives and attacks the paint. If he has space, he shoots.

I have never seen him shy away from shooting an open 3 because he missed a few.

I have seen him shoot a really deep 3 or a more contested one because he has made a few.

The problem with the Celtics is they seem to be hunting the 3s when it isn’t the best option. The D is in position to contest and they shoot a step back instead of attacking.

They take the hard shots whether they are hitting or not.

 

[Albuquerque Rams]

All things factored in, has any defending champion looked worse than this year's Celtics currently do?

Sure other defending champs performed worse but those teams were either dismantled (like the '99 Bulls) or aging squads on their last legs (like the '07 Heat or '12 Mavericks). The '96 Rockets and '11 Lakers did get swept out in the second round but neither team blew consecutive 20 point leads at home and the Rockets didn't have homecourt advantage.

These Celtics aren't that old and haven't been dismantled. There's no excuse for their current predicament.

 

[tlance]

All things factored in, has any defending champion looked worse than this year's Celtics currently do?

Sure other defending champs performed worse but those teams were either dismantled (like the '99 Bulls) or aging squads on their last legs (like the '07 Heat or '12 Mavericks). The '96 Rockets and '11 Lakers did get swept out in the second round but neither team blew consecutive 20 point leads at home and the Rockets didn't have homecourt advantage.

These Celtics aren't that old and haven't been dismantled. There's no excuse for their current predicament.

Without looking too hard, I think the easy answer is yes.

They blew 2 big leads against a good team.

A team they should surely beat, but the Knicks are scrappy and resilient.

Let’s see how they respond in the rest of the series before writing them off.

 

[Gman]

Must win tonight.

 

[realityball]

Must win tonight.

… it gets worse
they don’t play until tomorrow(!) … 3:30 in the freakin’ afternoon !! … on a Saturday !! … in NewYork!

 

[Gman]

… it gets worse
they don’t play until tomorrow(!) … 3:30 in the freakin’ afternoon !! … on a Saturday !! … in NewYork!

Ah... thanks for the heads-up...

... it's an extremely busy time of year for me at my job... I can barely keep up with anything else...

... (the way the C's have been playing, that's probably a good thing).

 

[realityball]

Ah... thanks for the heads-up...

... it's an extremely busy time of year for me at my job... I can barely keep up with anything else...

... (the way the C's have been playing, that's probably a good thing).

Me too … burnt out, so gonna take a break and disappear
so I’m going to miss the game … I thought about recording of course, but I’ll hear the final score and won’t care if they win and don’t want to care if they lose …

 

[Gman]

Me too … burnt out, so gonna take a break and disappear
so I’m going to miss the game … I thought about recording of course, but I’ll hear the final score and won’t care if they win and don’t want to care if they lose …

lol... it's like we're the same person.

Given that start time, I think I'm missing G3 too.

Is what it is.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Must win tonight.

Um, you meant Saturday?

 

[realityball]

Um, you meant Saturday?

Saturday? … that’s crazeee … what time?

 

[The Q]

 

[realityball]

View attachment 397101

during the Magic slugfest, talking heads and eggheads alike were saying it was good for the Celtics that the Magic didn’t have a shooter to go along with their perimeter defense … now in hindsight, those two Knicks wins shouldn’t have been so surprising …
still shocked though at the lack of adjustments by the Cs …

 

[Wamu]

that’s been the speculation for most all of the season … mazzula’s been questioned about all the 3s but the team was making them and took the heat off the coach until now … no matter the outcome, Mazzula will take all the heat

Something's gotta change for game three.

 

[tlance]

Must win tonight.

I will definitely root for the Celtics to win tonight!

Not so sure about tomorrow though

 

[Gman]

I will definitely root for the Celtics to win tonight!

Not so sure about tomorrow though

The pressure is all on the Knicks!!

^ Kristaps said it, and I believe it.