Series Thread: 2nd Round: Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks

[trojanfan12]

I don't see it that way. They made it a game away from the finals without Kyrie so it's on him to harness that energy and lead them right. He didn't. Instead he hemmed and hawed over even being there at all. It ended up a lost season because the youngins and Horford easily make the second round minimum and would have more experience.

The season became about Kyrie instead of their development. That's a tough pill for Rozier, Brown, Tatum

Yes and no. I definitely agree that Kyrie didn't step up and lead and that much of the failure falls on him. He was the superstar player and it's up to him to pull everyone together.

However, plenty of the blame goes to the Celtics kids as well. In order to lead a group, the group must be willing to follow.

Early in the season, when Kyrie talked about apologizing to Lebron re: not accepting/understanding his leadership...most focused on whether or not that meant Kyrie wanted to play with Lebron again and/or the optics of speaking out about his teammates like that and the timing of it all.

I don't remember anyone mentioning that maybe Kyrie had a point and that last seasons success had the Celtics kids feeling a little full of themselves and maybe they weren't as open to Kyrie's leadership as they should/could have been.

I think Kyrie deserves plenty of blame, but the kids aren't blameless either.

 

[Mecca]

Ray Allen in game 6 against the spurs...

Damn.....

Yep.

Gotta drop the Logo.

 

[Mecca]

Yes and no. I definitely agree that Kyrie didn't step up and lead and that much of the failure falls on him. He was the superstar player and it's up to him to pull everyone together.

However, plenty of the blame goes to the Celtics kids as well. In order to lead a group, the group must be willing to follow.

Early in the season, when Kyrie talked about apologizing to Lebron re: not accepting/understanding his leadership...most focused on whether or not that meant Kyrie wanted to play with Lebron again and/or the optics of speaking out about his teammates like that and the timing of it all.

I don't remember anyone mentioning that maybe Kyrie had a point and that last seasons success had the Celtics kids feeling a little full of themselves and maybe they weren't as open to Kyrie's leadership as they should/could have been.

I think Kyrie deserves plenty of blame, but the kids aren't blameless either.

I think @shopson67 said the same.

It's tough to put the toothpaste back in the tube.

Kyrie didn't do himself any favors complaining in the media.

But, the kiddie corps are culpable as well.

 

[trojanfan12]

That Kyrie shot has to be top 5 in Finals History.

In no particular order....

Jordan over Russell, Kyrie Game winner, KAJ over the Celtics while with the Bucks, Magic sky hook over the Celtics, Jerry West to sink the Knicks....Knicks won the war though.

You may not be old enough, but there was also Garfield Heards "Shot Heard 'Round the World" vs. the Celtics in Game 5 of the 1976 finals.

 

[Mecca]

You may not be old enough, but there was also Garfield Heards "Shot Heard 'Round the World" vs. the Celtics in Game 5 of the 1976 finals.

I was almost 2.....lol

 

[The Q]

The Horry shot in game 5 of the 2005 Finals?

 

[dtgold88]

The rest of his career before this season?

where he did what? Never even been to a Finals, let alone won one. Many thought they'd be the 1 seed and waltz to the Finals and they regressed in reg. season and again in the playoffs.

 

[LogicMan]

Yes and no. I definitely agree that Kyrie didn't step up and lead and that much of the failure falls on him. He was the superstar player and it's up to him to pull everyone together.

However, plenty of the blame goes to the Celtics kids as well. In order to lead a group, the group must be willing to follow.

Early in the season, when Kyrie talked about apologizing to Lebron re: not accepting/understanding his leadership...most focused on whether or not that meant Kyrie wanted to play with Lebron again and/or the optics of speaking out about his teammates like that and the timing of it all.

I don't remember anyone mentioning that maybe Kyrie had a point and that last seasons success had the Celtics kids feeling a little full of themselves and maybe they weren't as open to Kyrie's leadership as they should/could have been.

I think Kyrie deserves plenty of blame, but the kids aren't blameless either.

this ^

 

[dtgold88]

Exactly. Especially the bold. It was a great performance by the Cavs. But there was a lot that had to break their way for them to pull that off.

You had Lebron playing at arguably the highest level he has in his entire career along with Kyrie stepping up and damn near matching him great play/shot for great play/shot. You could make a strong case for co-MVP's with those 2.

There was also Dray's stupidity, Bogut getting hurt and Steph not being 100%.

If just one of those things doesn't happen, the Cavs don't win, imo. But they did and not only got the Cavs a title, but also gave us an all time great finals.

what you say might be true, but a lot also broke against them that stopped them from winning 3-4 instead of 1.

Kyrie/Love injury and Durant joining 'em instead of trying to beat 'em.

 

[dtgold88]

Yes and no. I definitely agree that Kyrie didn't step up and lead and that much of the failure falls on him. He was the superstar player and it's up to him to pull everyone together.

However, plenty of the blame goes to the Celtics kids as well. In order to lead a group, the group must be willing to follow.

Early in the season, when Kyrie talked about apologizing to Lebron re: not accepting/understanding his leadership...most focused on whether or not that meant Kyrie wanted to play with Lebron again and/or the optics of speaking out about his teammates like that and the timing of it all.

I don't remember anyone mentioning that maybe Kyrie had a point and that last seasons success had the Celtics kids feeling a little full of themselves and maybe they weren't as open to Kyrie's leadership as they should/could have been.

I think Kyrie deserves plenty of blame, but the kids aren't blameless either.

The coach? A coach few liked would have gotten most of the blame and Krie let off the hook.

 

[Gman]

where he did what? Never even been to a Finals, let alone won one. Many thought they'd be the 1 seed and waltz to the Finals and they regressed in reg. season and again in the playoffs.

Come now.

No one following basketball thought any of the prior teams had a chance as a real title contender... so the fact that Stevens never won a title is a poor litmus test of judgment.

Of course he didn't... and it would have been a miracle if he did.

So... he's not a miracle worker... fair enough.

What his teams have done before this season is consistently improve and over-achieve. He should get credit where credit is due for that.

 

[dtgold88]

You may not be old enough, but there was also Garfield Heards "Shot Heard 'Round the World" vs. the Celtics in Game 5 of the 1976 finals.

I don't recall seeing it, but remember people going nuts who saw it.....that was the first year of which I have NBA memories.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Ray Allen in game 6 against the spurs...

That might have been the most important one. Sent it to OT, if he misses that the series is OVER. Maybe the most clutch shot ever. Even how crazy of a play that whole sequence was.

 

[dtgold88]

Come now.

No one following basketball thought any of the prior teams had a chance as a real title contender... so the fact that Stevens never won a title is a poor litmus test of judgment.

Of course he didn't... and it would have been a miracle if he did.

So... he's not a miracle worker... fair enough.

What his teams have done before this season is consistently improve and over-achieve. He should get credit where credit is due for that.

And he does, but he should get blame when his team underachieves and he hasn't.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I like him but what's he done that makes you think he's anything special? Team was expected to get to the Finals with Kyrie and Hayward healthy and they regressed and went out a round earlier.

This was the first year they played together, Hayward and Kyrie were coming off a serious injury. I didn't anyone picking them for the Finals except maybe Wiggy. I thought they were a 3 or 4 seed but with their top 2 players coming off serious surgeries and playing with a new team I don't think they were expected to go to the Finals especially with all the moves in the East. Their were question marks all around the Celtics tbh

 

[Gman]

And he does, but he should get blame when his team underachieves and he hasn't.

I never said otherwise... but that wasn't the issue we were just talking about.

 

[dtgold88]

This was the first year they played together, Hayward and Kyrie were coming off a serious injury. I didn't anyone picking them for the Finals except maybe Wiggy. I thought they were a 3 or 4 seed but with their top 2 players coming off serious surgeries and playing with a new team I don't think they were expected to go to the Finals especially with all the moves in the East. Their were question marks all around the Celtics tbh

Come on...they were a 2 or 3 seed with Hayward and Kyrie out last year. Had all of camp and the season to acclimate them to the team. Many thought they'd waltz to the #1 seed and the Finals.

Cavs lost Kyrie then remade the team on the fly midseason and Lue took the brunt of the blame when they lost to a team no one has beaten in nearly half a decade (other than Lue/Cavs).

 

[dtgold88]

I never said otherwise... but that wasn't the issue we were just talking about.

Well that was my point. He's like the teflon man when it comes to blame.......in general, though, I like it as coaches often take too much blame when things go South as opposed to the players.

 

[Gman]

... He's like the teflon man when it comes to blame...

... this is the first time he has really been in a position to be blamed.

 

[dtgold88]

... this is the first time he has really been in a position to be blamed.

And he's not getting any.

Ty Lue was blamed when he lost to a team many thought was the best ever. Anyone else beat him and his team in a playoff series?