Beneath the Radar

In the wake (an apt term from the Cavs’ perspective) of Game Two, we’re hearing a lot about Rondo’s scintillating performance, Ray’s professionalism, KG’s clutch play, and even Sheed’s mini-resurgence. And deservedly so on all counts.

But I would submit that there are other factors that were more subtle or less apparent but nonetheless played a huge role in this victory:

1. I gave Sheed my MVP vote for rising well above expectations and being a major factor in the game. But do you know who I think deserves the game ball for sucking the air out of the Cavs’ game plan right from the start? Kendrick Perkins! Given that fact that the Cavs apparently were not able to depend as usual on Lebron as the fulcrum of their offense, Mike Brown quite obviously devised a game plan that called for establishing Shaq early in the contest. I’d go so far as to say I think Shaq was intended by Brown to be the “X” factor in this one. It never happened! Time after time, in the first quarter, they went to Shaq; and time after time he misfired. Perk simply wouldn’t let the Diesel park in its preferred station under the hoop. It was perhaps the earliest dagger I’ve ever seen in a basketball game…and it was a dagger, believe me, because it didn’t appear that Mike had a viable Plan B.

2. The Celtics took a timeout, ahead by 25 (91-66), with 8:32 to go in the game. Thereafter, the Cavs started to go wild, outscoring the Celts 7-0 in just 2:25. Another Doc timeout didn’t help, as the Cavs gained four more points in the next 22 seconds. Cleveland had now cut the margin of lead by 11 in just 2:47…a pace that would have made them easy winners if it had continued for the remainder of the game.

So Doc took another timeout (that’s three in 2:47 and two within 22 seconds of one another).

That third timeout was positively Auerbachian! More than anything Doc could have said during the 20 seconds of that third timeout, the short-fuse TIMING of the timeout was gauged to shock the team into elevating their offense to offset a desperation, adrenalin-driven, home-crowd-fed frenzy by the Cavs. And it worked. Over the remainder of the game, the Celtics outscored the Cavs, 15-9, to ice the game. And that “short fuse” timeout was just one of several ways in which Doc was a major factor in winning this one. His motivation of Sheed was ingenious, as was his decision to play Sheed despite the preference of the entire Western Hemisphere (apparently including Doc) for Shelden Williams. If Perk’s early stonewalling of Shaq was the initial dagger, Sheed’s offensive contributions amounted to a close second.

3. Related to the previous point is one I’ve made before; but it’s just as germane now. Yes, it’s important that the Celtics play strangulation defense, but that defense is enabled partly by reliable offense—particularly by making athletic opposing teams take the ball out of the basket rather than getting transition opportunities through the long rebounds created when the Celtics settle for long jumpers.

4. Those three consecutive lobs by Rondo to KG for scores were a direct response to Mike Brown’s order to Jamison that he front Kevin. There’s been a lot of talk about adjustments; and the Celtics capitalized by adjusting to that tactic until Lebron finally looked over to the bench demanding that the fronting tactic be stopped. This was just one of the many ways in which the Celtics were a step ahead of the Cavs (physically and mentally) for almost the entire game. I would like to have a framed photo of Lebron, prostrate on the floor and looking longingly at the ball rolling out of bounds after he had lost it to Celtics pressure defense. As Why Grousbeck was musing on WEEI Radio today, the Cavs won’t go back to fronting KG. They’ll have to play him more honestly…which means the perimeter will be more open for guys like Ray and Paul.

5. There are two guys who have played only a modest number of minutes (38 between them): Tony and Finley. Tony has scored only 9 points, and Michael hasn’t scored at all. But I’ve been impressed by both of them on the defensive end. Tony is a repository of energy. Michael just seems to do all the right things at the right times—an assist here, a rebound there, spacing the floor. In some ways, he’s sort of like a Scal whose scoring potential has to be honored.

6. There’s one more factor I feel compelled to include on this list, because it should not go underappreciated. The biggest single difference between Games 1 and 2 was arguably Rondo’s role. In Game 1, he did everything. In Game 2, he controlled the game as a catalyst, not as a lead scorer. I believe the distinction is critical. He needs to be a floor general first, picking apart the other team’s offense. Midway in the first quarter, I snuck a look at the box score, and every Celtic on the floor had scored. That’s the way it needs to be, and Rondo needs to be the engineer of that train.

As I look toward the future, I agree that the Cavs do have a pretty deep bench. But we’ve seen just about all that bench has to offer; there ain’t no surprises left. Doc hasn’t yet given more than a few paltry minutes to guys like Quis, Shelden, and Nate, who could still impact this series in spurts if called upon to play specific roles (perhaps defense, rebounding and infusion of points respectively). These are not fuzzy-faced kiddies on the bench. They’re veterans. They’re eager to contribute; and they understand pressure and—if called upon to serve—won’t cave in to it.

This team is definitely tuned into playoff basketball. They’ve played 7 games and won 5 of them. Most vestiges of what ailed them during the season seem to have receded. These are the playoffs! This is when winning basketball teams (and fans) come alive! Go Celtics! Beat the living hell out of the Cavs!

Sam

Sam

It seems pretty clear Doc is outgeneraling Brown. what Doc said in the last time out "Your acting like your surprised to be here! We are SUPPOSED to be here! we are better than them." really got me and the team going.

I thought Ray really did a number on James last night.

jeb

Jeb,

Yes, I think both Ray and Quis, for short spurts of time, have been able to turn Lebron into a passer.

The adjustments for Game Three will be most interesting to see. I recall hoping that it would be the Celts who forced the Cavs into adjustments, rather than the reverse. So far, that's been happening.

Sam

What a game! I sat on my bed listening to Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell get the fans more and more excited and into his game than all year. I just loved it! It reminded me of many, many years ago and Johnny Most describing every pass, rebound and score during every Celtic game. I drive everyone crazy because there is about a 7 - 8 minute delay from radio to television, so I know that what has happened before it is on tv. Drives my son and husband crazy.

I totally agree with you Sam that Perk was the key to this game. He had Shaq sized up from the start of the game, and frustrated him totally. He didn't have to score a point as far as I was concerned, he had done his job.

The Celtics have to come out Friday like this is the 7th game. Cleveland is going to be loaded for bear and dying to shove it right back down the Celtic's throats. A win on Friday sets up a perfect Mother's Day for me as my
son has gotten tickets to that game for the two of us to go to. What a perfect Mother's Day gift, especially if they win. I am jumping out of my skin
right now! I can feel the tension building just like 2008! Let's hope they win the both of them here. What a miracle that would be.

By the way, I am interested, how many of you are buying into the "elbow"
theory??? Not me, he is just getting out played. Watch out, Friday is going to be tough.

Rosalie,

I think he's got an elbow problem. Who knows whether it's something that can improve over the next three days? I'm as concerned for him as Cavs fans would be if KG hurt his knee again.

Sam

Rosalie

I am jealous. Enjoy.

Jeb

Heck I hope Shaq stay out of foul trouble, he's our secret weapon!

Great observations and writing as usual Sam,I'm not shocked that you've raised your game during playoffs.I said on the Game On how much I was loving Perks hardhat D.The odd thing is I didn't even think we were playing that good during game,we turned ball over,KG was looking fragile,refs giving every call they could to Cavs......and we still won,putting on defensive clinic and Rondo taking what the defense gave him,not forcing anything.My game ball would have to go to Rondo even though Sheed,Perk and Ray all played great.Pierce as usual had some timely big plays and KG was battling and energizing.As you said with balanced scoring Cavs didn't know who to key on and Rondo is putting on a PG clinic at the perfect time.

It's funny. None of us can agree here. There is no most valuable player on the Celtics. Each game it is someone else or a group. That's what basketball is all about and more importantly that's what Celtic basketball is all about. This thread simply proves it.

Great point, dbrown. It's a great situation until that very occasional game in which nobody happens to step up. But I'm happy to take that chance in order to leverage the versatility of this team and its resulting unpredictability when opponents are preparing their game plans.

Sam

Sam, I thnk your word "unpredictability" is key and may be the main reason in the end we win this whole thing. Which, while all or most of us, have been looking for some kind of consistency all season long, inconsistency may be the goose that lays the golden egg. Think about it. If we are consistent, depend on the same guys to run the same plays, etc., teams can easily devise a game plan to beat us. But if they have no idea whose going to light it up or which group is going to emerge (bench or starters, etc) You can't devise a game plan to beat us. Our game plan for CLE is simple. It's the same one every time out. Shut down LeBron and let the others beat us. Now mind you, that's a herculean task in and of itself requiring 2-3 people shuffled in at the right times. But for Game 2, we executed it to perfection and also in Game 1 for the most part. CLE game plan for us is...shut down the Celtics and key on the hot guy, whoever that may be. In essense, play Wack-A-Mole. We have no standout. So you have no game plan for us expect a boilerplate and hope one of the Celtic flaws will help them like blowing a DD lead, turnovers, Rondo dialing one in, everyone dialing it in, etc. We are a snake with no head, so you can't just cut us off with one swing like we can LeBron. You can't just go from leaving Rondo wide open to doubling him. He's more slippery than a greased pig. But it will be interesting to see if Mike employs that. He'll probably go with the safe Varejao/Hickson combo but we can play Hack-a-Hick and trade 1 for 2 while letting Varejao rack up T's and Flagrants. I think we're in Andrew's head now more than he has been in ours in the past.

There are three pivotal games (Games 3,5 & 7) where there are ties in the series, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3. I wish I had the time to go through the history with home court, etc. and determine some things statistically from it. This one come Friday may be our biggest ever.

Sam And DB

If we have no clue what to expect from us...........stands to reason Cleveland doesn't either.

Makes almost perfect sense to me.
Plus I really don't think Cleveland as a whole is the most cerebral team in the league.

beat

DB,

Most experts feel that Game 5 is most often likely to be the pivotal game in any series. Not necessarily the final game, but the game that tips the balance of a hotly contested series.

In this case, suppose the Celts and Cavs split the Boston games. Game 5 will either give the Cavs a stranglehold on the Celts or give the Celts a chance to win the series at home.

Suppose the Celts win both Boston games. Game 5 will be the first of three opportunities for the Celts to end the series in their favor.

If the Cavs win both Boston games....well, I don't even want to recognize that as a remote possibility.

As for the unpredictability, I'd feel more comfortable if it were more unpredictable for the opponent than for the Celtics and their fans. lol.

Sam

Sam,
Interesting point about switch from LJ to Shack. I believe Cavs used it many times during the regular season even when LJ was 100%.
Now, I guess MB has 2 options: (a) sit Shack and go with Jamison, AV and JJ or (b) continue with Shack in hope he'll overpower Perk.
Also, why Cavs keep Leon on the bench - I thought he was efficient enough to be used in playoffs, especially against such opponent as Celtics? Maybe they keep him as reserve, to be used as the proverbial straw?
In any case, I think that one of the main advantages that Celtics have over Cavs is Doc vs. MB. Hope it will be utilized.

AK

Sinus,

I assume the health status of Lebron and Varejao will have a lot to do with Cleveland's game plan. I believe the secret to Perk's success against Fat Albert (Hey Hey Hey!) was his ability to stay out of early foul trouble. It seems likely that Mike Brown will give that strategy another try because Shaq could be devastating against any other Celtics defender.

Otherwise, I have to believe we'll see more emphasis on Mo and Jamison and also more unleashing of Cleveland's three-point prowess.

If I were Mike, I'd take note of the success so many teams have had in using the high pick-and-roll against the Celtics. So far, the Celts have had success in running a big at Bron when his defender has been picked off. That has often forced Bron to pass off. But the success of that maneuver is dependent on the speed with which the big recovers and/or the team rotates to thwart the roll that will inevitably follow.

So far, one of the most enjoyable elements of these playoffs (for me at least) has been the opportunity to dissect the tactics being employed out there. Not since I first read Auerbach's "Basketball for the Player, the Fan and the Coach" in 1953 has such a profusion of strategies unfolded in front of me. For that reason, I agree that the Doc vs. Mike matchup is one of the most important. It's vital that Doc remain one step ahead of Brown and force Mike into the adjustments rather than vice versa.

Sam

The Cavs underestimated the KG/Jamison matchup. They figured jamison is a quick power forward that could take KG off the dripple but they seem to have overlooked the fact that Jamision is not big enough to check KG in the post.

I think they also missed the fact that Rajon was steadily improving his free throw accuracy so fouling is not a good startegy.

The cavs team deficiencies have been masked by one great player! He is great but far from perfect and is subject to recording a stinker just like any other player.

Unlike boston, the cavs cannot win unless LJ plays well every night.

Now the cavs realize that Boston can beat them in their own building even after losing the first game. The Cavs are now trying to figure out what to do becasue they cannot stop Rondo or KG without opening the door for PP and RA. They have to decide who to let beat them.

The most important thing that has to happen for boston in game three is to be able to sustain a high level of energy and basically not allow the Cavs to get on a role. I am convinced that if Boston takes game 3 they will win this series.

That was CLE big deal over the last year with Jamison. Hoping he would be their big #2. (That didn't come out right! He may turn into #2 after this series!)

It will also come down to intra-game adjustments. Again, I give the huge edge to Doc. Mike only comes unglued in these situations. The Celtics just have too many moving parts to shut them all down at once as dboss so alertly points out. Kenny Smith said the same thing last night. Celtics won by committee. Two totally different styles in this series each of which in the end can win a series for you. We just have to avoid all of our guys dialing it in at the same time or turning it over too many times or PP Iso ball in the 4th.

I wish I could say this break will do the Celtics good going into G3, but I'm thinking the chances of Celtics winning after a 3 day break are about 50/50, given past performance. Sometimes they have come out on fire, others pretty lame.

I have to agree with you dboss that if the C's win this one, things will be looking pretty good in Beantown.

Sam, yeah G7's are decisive so there isn't much to gain from them since the series is over after that. So that leaves on G3 and G5. I'd be looking for those series that both went to G3s and G5s with 1-1 and 2-2's respectively. It's an exercise I want to look into. Any ideas where I can readily get that info? I'd need homecourt advantage info as well or where the series started.

BTW,Cowens/oldschool needs to post more. I don't know if I would have use that picture of my wife or girlfriend, but it's working for the rest of us!

Dbrown,

I don't know of a ready source. However, the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA, has a research department. You might give them a try.

However, I think there's more to it than statistics. Part of the reason why the experts seem to favor Game 5 as pivotal is the psychological advantage it can provide by either changing or solidifying the momentum of a series that's closing in on finality. When Game 3 is played, there are still four more potential games (at least theoretically) in which to recoup from a disadvantage. Yes, if a team goes up 3-0, then game 3 was obviously pivotal. But, in general, the results of Game 5 can become the catalyst for "must win" situations more often than the results of Game 3.

Good luck. I'll be interested in whatever you discover. In the meantime, I'm firmly in the "one game at a time" camp.

Sam

For the Cs, game 3 will be gigantic, but so will game 4. The Cs have to win both and should treat them both almost like elimination games b/c if they don't win them both, the advantage swings back to Cleveland. And I don't mean just the homecourt. If the Cs can win both, the Cavs tenuous confidence will be reduced even further and the pressure on Cleveland at that point would be tremendous. Speculation about LBJ's summer intentions would become as much a part of the discussion as the next game.

The Cavs will come out with a lot of urgency in game 3, but if the Cs will come out with a must-win mentality for both of these games, they can take advantage of the crowd's energy (and hopefully get some home calls by the refs to even things out a bit) to go up 3-1.

These next two games are going to be intense.

BSH,

No question about it. Unfortunately, who's less injured could also be a major factor. I just wish everyone would be healthy so they can whale away at each other and we can enjoy NBA playoff basketball at its most intense.

Although I love this time of year, I constantly feel I need a stomach transplant.

Sam

I heard/saw some unusual two letter words in LBJ's press conference. IF we continue in the playoffs, IF we continue to win games...blah, blah, blah.

No one in the press caught it or made a big deal about it. Perhaps I'm over-reacting. We'll see tonight.