Celtics In A State Of Shock - What Have They Learned?

It has seemed to me that the Celtics have gone through a series of ups and downs, much of it their own doing. It seemed to me that they would rather not have to go through the regular season. Early success probably solidified that attitude. Team management, coaches, and players have substantiated thet, indeed, the Celtics just want to get on with it.

As losses and poor performances became common occurences, the team felt they could turn it around. I feel they are somewhat shocked that they have been unsuccessful in this endeavor. We have seen glimpses of the team we remember in 2008, but certainly not on a consistent basis. I feel this team is surprised the "switch" has many times shorted out.

To sum things up, I feel the team is now, not only embarrassed, but fearful that they just don't have it. They have played frenzied and seemingly without discipline lately - signs of desparation. It is a point that I feel had to happen for this team to find the Celtic pride that I feel has been lacking. I feel this team will make a strong rally from here on. Is it enough? Maybe not, but at least the resemblance of Celtic basketball should return.

Go Celtics!!

My guess is that the team is still confident but very very frustrated that things just don't seem to be going their way. Rondo said it in the postgame interview today: they are still confident in their discussions held in the privacy of the locker room. Its hard to step outside and look at yourself objectively. Think of how we all (or nearly all of us) believe that at work we are doing a good job-until the evaluation comes along and tells us that outside observers do not agree with us.
There is still time to make this happen. I have said all along that this team DOES have the talent to win another ring. Its the heart and the effort and the execution that are lacking. Still have 18 games to go. If we can win Sunday, or at least show some EFFORT (my pet peeve: lack of effort) that would go a long way to getting up some momentum. Its not always the best team that wins a ring: its the team on a roll at the time.

In 08 the Lakers were the team on a roll in playoffs before they met us,we struggled vs Hawks and Cavs had some ugly playoff games,probably why at beginning of series most writers all picked Lakers,why did we kick Lakers arss pumpsie?

cowens/oldschool wrote:In 08 the Lakers were the team on a roll in playoffs before they met us,we struggled vs Hawks and Cavs had some ugly playoff games,probably why at beginning of series most writers all picked Lakers,why did we kick Lakers arss pumpsie?

Ummmm...because we played better basketball??

Team on a roll doesn't mean squat,in a 7 game series the better team always wins.I like the way you back up what you write.One year Mavs tore through league finishing at 67-15,then were bounced first round of playoffs by Warriors.In boxing styles make fights,Joe Frazier and Ken Norton would give Ali hell and George Foreman could knock out either in 2 rounds,but Foreman couldn't stand a chance against Ali.In basketball its about matchups,that Laker team had nobody that could match up with Paul Pierce.Radmonovic started,Luke Walton and Ariza came off the bench,no one could handle Pierce,Kobe tried and failed,but then no one could check Ray Allen.

cowens/oldschool wrote:Team on a roll doesn't mean squat,in a 7 game series the better team always wins.I like the way you back up what you write.One year Mavs tore through league finishing at 67-15,then were bounced first round of playoffs by Warriors.In boxing styles make fights,Joe Frazier and Ken Norton would give Ali hell and George Foreman could knock out either in 2 rounds,but Foreman couldn't stand a chance against Ali.In basketball its about matchups,that Laker team had nobody that could match up with Paul Pierce.Radmonovic started,Luke Walton and Ariza came off the bench,no one could handle Pierce,Kobe tried and failed,but then no one could check Ray Allen.

To an extent I guess you are right. In basketball there is more importance, it seems, on matchups than in other sports. I don't think that momentum is meaningless, but I am ready to concede that it is probably less important than in, say, baseball, where teams just seem to get on a roll and are not stopped. An example of this is the 2006 St Louis Cardinals who won only 83 games yet won the World Series.
I believe that the Celtics in 07-08 were a better team than the Lakers because they were much better defensively allowing 11 fewer PPG than the Lakers-and they had a better points differential than the Lakers. And as you pointed out they had no one to stop Pierce, though that was not the entire reason the Celtics won. In the playoffs the Celtics DID play great ball against competition superior to what the Lakers faced; and in the finals, the result was what I expected, though, as I recall, the Lakers were favored.

Fair enough

I believe indeed that the Celtics have found the Celtic pride and energy so sorely lacking in previous months. I see a renewed urgency and pride - the Celtics are getting closer to "48 minutes" of basketball. Tonight's win over Dallas was a great team effort.

I believe also that the energy of Nate Robinson and professionalism of Michael Finley has infused the Celtics with what it takes to close this season out in style!

Go Celtics!!

Go Celtics!

sdceltfan wrote:I believe indeed that the Celtics have found the Celtic pride and energy so sorely lacking in previous months. I see a renewed urgency and pride - the Celtics are getting closer to "48 minutes" of basketball. Tonight's win over Dallas was a great team effort.

I believe also that the energy of Nate Robinson and professionalism of Michael Finley has infused the Celtics with what it takes to close this season out in style!

Go Celtics!!

Go Celtics!

Love Nate's energy but I was ready to strangle him at the beginning of the fourth quarter with that awful unforced turnover out of bounds (have you ever seen a shot of Doc so disgusted?) and those three quick misses of his. I thought that stretch might cost us the game because that's when the Mavs were sprinting out ahead of us. But fortunately we had a lot more in the tank at the end than those old-timers in Dallas did.