Conference Semifinals: Boston Celtics (2) vs Philadelphia 76ers (3)

[Sparhawk]

 

[fightinfunbags]

Melton, House and Reed were no help off the bench last night. I think that cost us the game last night once we got back in it.

I really feel like the wheels came off with the delay because the crew botched who was supposed to shoot the free throws on the clear path foul. After they got it right and Maxey hit the free throws to again keep it at 83-81 they get outscored 14-3 to close the game. Not an excuse. You have to deal with adversity. At the same time, that delay, the points coming off and going back on became the moment when things fell apart.

 

[Picklerick 2.0]

I don’t think anybody has ever said Doc Rivers is a great coach except for Doc. He’s a slightly above average coach. The problems they had last night aren’t Doc induced. Personally, I think the head coach in pro sports is often over rated. Doc’s stuff got the Sixers open looks last night. They didn’t hit them. Doc isn’t why Harden goes 4-16 and 0-6 from 3. Doc isn’t the guy who decided to pay Tobias Harris 39 million to go 1-7 with 2 points. Doc isn’t responsible for DeAnthony Melton shooting falling apart after the 2Q of Game 1. My only criticism of Doc last night is him not taking greater control of the last 5 minutes and demanding that they feed Jo. Embiid commented on this in his presser. He didn’t get a touch in the last 4 minutes. That’s mostly on Harden because he has the ball in his hands. Credit to the Celtics too on switching things up in the way they played him, sometimes fronting with Smart or Brown and sometimes having Horford body him up with a double lurking on the catch. But yeah, I need Doc to call something that screens for Joel to get freed up for a clean catch so he can work and you live and die with the ball in the hands of your best player.

I think the switching of brown and smart with horford is seriously under looked. They are really keeping embiid guessing and refusing to let him get comfortable. The MVP is still the MVP when you have the entire other team game planning to confuse just you.

 

[fightinfunbags]

I think the switching of brown and smart with horford is seriously under looked. They are really keeping embiid guessing and refusing to let him get comfortable. The MVP is still the MVP when you have the entire other team game planning to confuse just you.

I hate Al Horford but I respect him. Watching him in huddles in that game, I was in awe. The Celtics didn’t even play particularly well but they competed like a son of a bitch. The way they played Embiid was a master class. And one person I left out in my lament about Embiid getting the ball late is Embiid. If you’re the MVP, you’ve got to demand the ball. You’ve gotta demand getting touches.

 

[The Q]

Nobody has done less with more than doc rivers.

I really curisos what the rivers narrative is if that dude doesn’t roll up on KG’s knee

Since he like 3 peats

 

[Picklerick 2.0]

I hate Al Horford but I respect him. Watching him in huddles in that game, I was in awe. The Celtics didn’t even play particularly well but they competed like a son of a bitch. The way they played Embiid was a master class. And one person I left out in my lament about Embiid getting the ball late is Embiid. If you’re the MVP, you’ve got to demand the ball. You’ve gotta demand getting touches.

There is nothing about horfords game that doesn't annoy the shit out of me. If he was just a little bit better of a player, people would pay more attention to how jeckle and Hyde his ass really is.

 

[Picklerick 2.0]

I really curisos what the rivers narrative is if that dude doesn’t roll up on KG’s knee

Since he like 3 peats

A guy who would have been shit canned for underperforming as Celtics head coach?

 

[The Q]

A guy who would have been shit canned for underperforming as Celtics head coach?

He gets traded to the clippers either way imo

Window was closed by then

 

[Picklerick 2.0]

He gets traded to the clippers either way imo

Window was closed by then

If he's irrelevant than why defend him? If he's a positive, give me a scenario where he showed it. This isn't rocket science.

 

[The Q]

If he's irrelevant than why defend him? If he's a positive, give me a scenario where he showed it. This isn't rocket science.

Not gonna say irrelevant

Just that kg’s injury robbed him of a historic run

Maybe he’s just the NBA’s Barry Switzer

But it’s interesting none the less

It’s hard argue that he hasn’t been a guy who’s done less with more

The clippers roster was never complete. It lacked a decent sf and they wasted a ton of capital trying to fill it

But they still probably underachieved

 

[The Q]

And yet outplayed the Celtics for 5/6 of the game

 

[redseat]

Tatum has to show up the entire Game 7 if the Cs are to win! But they get it done!

 

[msgkings322]

I don’t think anybody has ever said Doc Rivers is a great coach except for Doc. He’s a slightly above average coach. The problems they had last night aren’t Doc induced. Personally, I think the head coach in pro sports is often over rated. Doc’s stuff got the Sixers open looks last night. They didn’t hit them. Doc isn’t why Harden goes 4-16 and 0-6 from 3. Doc isn’t the guy who decided to pay Tobias Harris 39 million to go 1-7 with 2 points. Doc isn’t responsible for DeAnthony Melton shooting falling apart after the 2Q of Game 1. My only criticism of Doc last night is him not taking greater control of the last 5 minutes and demanding that they feed Jo. Embiid commented on this in his presser. He didn’t get a touch in the last 4 minutes. That’s mostly on Harden because he has the ball in his hands. Credit to the Celtics too on switching things up in the way they played him, sometimes fronting with Smart or Brown and sometimes having Horford body him up with a double lurking on the catch. But yeah, I need Doc to call something that screens for Joel to get freed up for a clean catch so he can work and you live and die with the ball in the hands of your best player.

He's thought highly enough to make the top 15 all time coaches list

 

[fightinfunbags]

He's thought highly enough to make the top 15 all time coaches list

True. At the same time, I questioned that list for sure. I guess it’s because he has a ring as a coach and a ton of regular season wins. I was shocked to see that he’s like top 6-7 for playoff wins as well. Has had a lot of staying power based on the rebuild in Orlando and the team in Boston that won a ring.

Again though, for me, it’s more about the players than it is the coach. I think last night’s loss absolutely applies to that thinking. Doc didn’t shoot 8-34 from 3 with most of those 34 coming on solid looks.

 

[msgkings322]

True. At the same time, I questioned that list for sure. I guess it’s because he has a ring as a coach and a ton of regular season wins. I was shocked to see that he’s like top 6-7 for playoff wins as well. Has had a lot of staying power based on the rebuild in Orlando and the team in Boston that won a ring.

Again though, for me, it’s more about the players than it is the coach. I think last night’s loss absolutely applies to that thinking. Doc didn’t shoot 8-34 from 3 with most of those 34 coming on solid looks.

I agree he's one of the debatable ones on the list. But if you boot him who do you replace him with?

 

[fightinfunbags]

I agree he's one of the debatable ones on the list. But if you boot him who do you replace him with?

Got me. I don’t even know. I think over time a young coach will rise up and replace him on that list. If I remember correctly he seemed like he was just a name with longevity that could be plugged in anyway. Actually, Doc kind of reminds me of Lenny Wilkins. Not a lot of championship level success but had the longevity and a ton of regular season wins.

 

[Duffman]

The best player in the league isn’t a one way player. Sorry. The Nuggets aren’t worth hating my guy. The Lakers, the Celtics, etc… for sure. Not the Nuggets.

What does it say about your guy that he’s only 3 spots above this “one way player”? I mean for Embiid to have finished 5th and Jokic 8th that 3 spot gap must be as huge as the grand canyon.

 

[fightinfunbags]

What does it say about your guy that he’s only 3 spots above this “one way player”? I mean for Embiid to have finished 5th and Jokic 8th that 3 spot gap must be as huge as the grand canyon.

It says the statistic is flawed. As much as people try, you can’t use statistics to measure defensive impact. You immediately dismiss yourself from a conversation once you imply that Embiid and Jokic are even close to each other as defenders.

 

[The Q]

It says the statistic is flawed. As much as people try, you can’t use statistics to measure defensive impact. You immediately dismiss yourself from a conversation once you imply that Embiid and Jokic are even close to each other as defenders.

You don’t seem to grasp that certain things are more valuable due to position

Same reason a realmuto homer is worth more than a Hoskins homer

 

[dtgold88]

I don’t think anybody has ever said Doc Rivers is a great coach except for Doc. He’s a slightly above average coach. The problems they had last night aren’t Doc induced. Personally, I think the head coach in pro sports is often over rated. Doc’s stuff got the Sixers open looks last night. They didn’t hit them. Doc isn’t why Harden goes 4-16 and 0-6 from 3. Doc isn’t the guy who decided to pay Tobias Harris 39 million to go 1-7 with 2 points. Doc isn’t responsible for DeAnthony Melton shooting falling apart after the 2Q of Game 1. My only criticism of Doc last night is him not taking greater control of the last 5 minutes and demanding that they feed Jo. Embiid commented on this in his presser. He didn’t get a touch in the last 4 minutes. That’s mostly on Harden because he has the ball in his hands. Credit to the Celtics too on switching things up in the way they played him, sometimes fronting with Smart or Brown and sometimes having Horford body him up with a double lurking on the catch. But yeah, I need Doc to call something that screens for Joel to get freed up for a clean catch so he can work and you live and die with the ball in the hands of your best player.

All true.....and had they lost likely Mazzula gets blamed because Tatum could not hit water from a boat. Luckily he got smart late and asked Tatum to hit a few.