ROUND #2 PLAYOFF > POST GAME #4 Mil Bucks - Home - Mil - 113 Boston - 101 Final

They beat us in every aspect and category of the game.  We got 5 more ftas than them even.

Their bench played great and our bench was non-existent.  Their bench was 13-30, 43.3%, despite being 2-9 from 3.  That means 11-21 from 2.  That's not Giannis driving and kicking out, that's them penetrating, which they did with ease.  Our heart left us and we didn't trust each other on defense.  We did not rotate, so they got to the rim.  Our bench was 3-17.  Hayward was a non-existent 1-5 in 27 minutes.  Marcus Smart was back and playing hard, but why would he think he should be taking a lot of shots when he hasn't been in a game in 4 weeks?  He was 1-7, ALL from 3.  Rozier a typically poor 1-5.  Is there still a GM out there who thinks he's an NBA starter?  Find that guy, Danny, and work a deal.  He's ripe to be picked.

The type of players we want are players who raise their games in the playoffs, because the playoffs are harder.  You are only playing good teams and they are playing hard too.  Who elevated their games last night?

Morris with a monster 18 point, 14 rebound game.  He worked hard, all game.  He also was 7-11 from the line.  Not a great ft% but he was creating the contact, was getting to the line and putting them into the penalty earlier.  He rose yesterday.

Tatum started off slow, he was 2-6 but had 6 rebounds, but heated up in the 2nd half.  He ended up 6-14 (4-8 in the 2nd half) for 17 points and 10 rebounds.  He also had 4 assists and 2 blocks.  A monster game for him too.  He rose yesterday too.

Al with a weak first half, he was missing everything, but ended up 8-16, 3-8 from 3 and 20 points.  He rallied in the 2nd half.

A great game by Jaylen Brown.  He was in the mix all game, not just in the 2nd half.

Kyrie stunk the joint up.  7-22.  He was 5-15 at the half, so he was 2-7 in the 2nd half.  The rest of the starting 5 elevated their game in the 2nd half, knowing what it meant if we lost, and he went 2-7.  To his credit he had 6 rebounds and 10 assists but we cannot have our superstar shooting under 32% while taking 24.4% of the team's fgas.  He had a great first game of this series but then shot 22.2%, 36.4% and 31.8% in the next 3.  He said he wanted to leave Cleveland because he wanted to grow as a man and a leader by having his own team out from under LeBron's shadow.  Hasn't happened and it may never happen because he first has to admit he has to change (not his game, him, as a man and a leader) and he doesn't seem to get that.

I already mentioned our bench.  Hayward said he "was peaking at the right time".  Well, he could have hung out a bit more at the summit before plunging back into the abyss.  Very disappointed in Hayward.  I thought he was back, finally, and maybe he is and that's the problem.  Maybe he's just not a playoff player.  He has scored a total of 30 points in these 4 games.  13 assists in 4 games.  In 120 minutes, that's how many he has played this series.  30 points in 120 minutes.  13 assists in 120 minutes.

We need Danny to do something about the hot mess this team was all season and still is in these playoffs.  That shouldn't happen for another month-to-six-weeks.  That's because we need Danny strong and if he watches the game film of these last two games he'll have another heart attack and we need Danny to do something about this hot mess of a team, so we can't lose him.


bob


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"I’m in awe how great Giannis is, he gets away with a few travels every game, but never seen a 6’11”-7 footer so great at attacking off the dribble and so relentless in doing it over and over. He attacks, has the counters, shares the ball, attacks on defense, blocking shots all over the place, runs the floor. He impacts the game more than any other IMHO. Better than KG or Duncan in their primes, he can play in any line up. Can easily play the 5 in a small ball line up, now Bucks are going big and packing the paint on defense and still have shooters all over the floor with bigs Mirotic and Lopez, if they can get Brogden back....even more dangerous team.

Who did we pass him up for? One stupid move can ruin a franchise for years....I’m serious."

Cow, all that may be true about Giannis, but can he shoot the three as well as Kelly O? Can he wear his hair in a bun like Kelly O? Look on the bright side of our picking Kelly over Giannis.

cowens/oldschool wrote:What Jordan was for shooting guards, Giannis is that for PF-C’s in this era, and love his attitude on the game. I see Bucks going all the way....

Cow,

Just as MJ was an inspiration for Kobe and Kobe was an inspiration for Tatum and the incoming players who watched him play Giannis will be an inspiration for the next generation of players.  Players who are long and lean will be working on their ballhandling skills like fiends.  They won't see themselves as an Andre Drummond big, a rim protector and pnr player, they'll see themselves as another Giannis, a highly-skilled, extremely fluid 7' point guard.

This is, precisely, why I think comparing eras is a dumb argument.  The concept of a 6'9" point guard was unthinkable until Magic.  Now the prospect of a crop of 7' point guards over the next 10-15 years is very plausible thanks to The Greek Freak.


bob


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That's why Danny had a heart attack.

Management - Danny and Brad - is responsible for these results: It's hard not to laugh that we picked Kelly over Giannis, then compounded it with Hayward. Here are a few thoughts I wrote after last night's game:
''I think the age of the team with 7 small forwards hasn't arrived, and the demise of the defensive center is a myth. Kyrie is a good second option, adios unless he gets it (and the world is spherical). Hayward is all the way back as a never-was-great, grossly overpaid at $30+M. Horford is a good forward on the far side, not a cornerstone. Every time the Celtics make a move in this series Giannis drives and our only possible counter, Williams, is nailed to the bench where he's been all year although: this series was foreseeable. Why a coach with this lineup would not prepare a leaper with 7' 6'' inch reach and instead overplay GH is beyond me (or painful to contemplate). And of course he has no control over his prima donna, who reminds me of Melo." Hawk

True dat.

Heckler, will you take the job of GM for the Celts, please?

worcester wrote:True dat.

Heckler, will you take the job of GM for the Celts, please?

worcester,

I appreciate the vote of confidence but I am quite happy living my life sans les crises de cardiaque, thank you very much.


bob



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Bob, if you don't take the job and Cowens does, imagine the carnage. The carnage.

But then it might be interesting to see Dave Cowens, the Dave Cowens, appointed as head coach.

112288 wrote:Look, I was the first guy on this board at the beginning of the season to say that this team was flawed, partly due to the players and partly due to Stevens.

There was a lack of chemistry between players for one reason or another, and the team could not click for long periods of time, only spurts here and there with a little luck in between.  You saw it when players were arguing against players and KI arguing with Stevens.  

The coaching staff could not come up with a solution on how how to fix this disconnect, so Brad and Danny should have made changes mid season!  They did not.

Last night Coach Bud exposed our flaws big time.   I can see missing shots while under pressure, but I never saw a hard pick set, nor a screen so a player could get off a non contested shot.    That my friends is coaching.  So the Celtics reverted to chucking 3 pt shots up in hopes of getting hot...........they did not.

KI is either relied upon by the rest of the team to do the dirty work in trying to score or he is a ball hog.   Maybe a little of both.  I never saw him as a fit on the team long term.

In addition I thought Brad was very unfair when he stated in public that he was dissatisfied in his teams effort when they lost Friday and cited lack of consistency.   keep you dirty laundry private Brad!

I think Danny needs to assess both the players and the coaching staff and make changes.   Bring on a defensive coach to help out, clearly Brad needs help.

The summer will be interesting .............I hope they can go young and keep most of their draft choices.

112288

You may have been one of the first, but I was on board as well. If we had played the Cavs the first series we may have been just like the Pacers were. With that being said Tatum, Brown, and Rozier performed good enough to get us to the conf. finals. Unbelievable the way this board is so down on Tatum. He has played very well in all but the first two games of the Buck series. Last two games are 20 pt , 10 rebound games. Now to the problem which I have been saying for more than half a season. Kyrie has held back both Brown and Tatum this year and hindered their development with his talk about the youngsters not understanding how to win playoff games. Kyrie and his ball domination has held them back plain and simple. Funny how the media is reporting the last couple days this very same argument that I have been preaching for a while now. They all see this.

Kyrie has two games where he shot 57 % from the field. Great games, he looked good and we won. Other six playoff games, has shot 39 percent and lower, forced bad shot after bad shot while other guys sit around and watch him. I wonder what goes on in their head considering KI's comments. Last night he said he should have shot 30 shots. I guess he didn't realize all the bad shots, turnovers, and his 31% shooting percentage. He reasoning, "because I am that good". Lets not forget the "genius" comment he labeled himself with two days ago.

Some need to realize we got some real good young talent that has accomplished more without Kyrie than they have with him. Brown 22 years old, Tatum 21 years old. Get some ball movement in the team again and watch these guys get better and better. Both will average over 20 pts a game. Add a young shot blocker that doesn't require shots.(we have him) a couple more draft picks that should net us another good young player and the future is bright. To trade these guys for someone that more than likely goes to LA to play is plain stupid. We keep pissing these young guys off and even if we keep them you think they won't remember how they were required to take a back seat after last year?

Back to Kyrie, I have played with a guy similar when I was younger. He was a great shooter and hit a lot of shots but no one else ever touched the ball. Everyone would just wait around until they finally got the ball before they put any effort in. Of course he wasn't the player that Kyrie was but he could hit just as many shots from the top of the key and most pros. He did absolutely nothing to make anyone better and the effort wasn't what it should be from his team mates. Sound familiar?

worcester wrote:Bob, if you don't take the job and Cowens does, imagine the carnage. The carnage.

But then it might be interesting to see Dave Cowens, the Dave Cowens, appointed as head coach.

worcester,

If Cowens gets the job the team will be all linemen and fullbacks and no wide receivers and halfbacks. None of those girly men who run away from defenders.

I'll tell you one thing, though. I would definitely have taken Giannis back at #16. It's true I had higher hopes for Kelly O but even back then I wanted Giannis. Once Danny took Kelly I accepted the fait accompli and tried to consider, constructively, how he might best be used but that was afterwards. Up to the moment Danny did his thing I wanted Giannis.


bob



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I would note that IF Irving leaves it will NOT free up his salary to use on someone else.

see here:

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/cap/2019/

when Irving opts out and IF he signs somewhere else, then the Celtics will still have around $102 M in salary on the books, with a projected a $109 M salary cap.

the three first round picks will need to be added once they are selected adding another $6-7M I think.

so NO CAP room even if/when Irving skips town. sorry.

You are 100% accurate Tardust. Tatum has played well. Kyrie has held him and Jaylen back. So has Gordon, who I do like personally. But criminy. He had been so tentative and consumed so many minutes this year that others should have been given.

But if we do resign Kyrie we will be WAY over the cap.

worcester wrote:But if we do resign Kyrie we will be WAY over the cap.

yep..thats where we are now.

I hope that whoever is running the show here this summer (yes I think Danny may step down due to "health " reasons), lets Irving walk. Because that would mean they are building around Tatum, Brown, Smart and maybe Rozier , which is what I prefer

Horford
Morris- resigned mainly because we will only have the MLE to sign someone else
Tatum
Brown
Smart

as the starters

Hayward- we're stuck with him, maybe he can become Havlicek light
Rozier- RFA, we need to match any offers
Baynes
Semi
Shooter - MLE free agent signing (Rodney Hood?)

main bench players

Rob Williams ( hope that he takes Baynes minutes during the season)
Yabusele
Bol Bol- #14 pick ( roll the dice on a defensive game changer)
Charles Bassey- $20 pick ( a young possible Horford clone)
Tyler Hero or Ty Jerome- #22 pick (young big guards who can shoot)


That would be my off season right now if I were the GM. Take my lumps letting Irving walk and stay far away from Davis and the bounty NO wants.

Why keep Terry and at what price? He can play D. He does rebound. Do you think his O can return to last year's level? I like Wanamaker better and at a much cheaper price.

worcester wrote:Why keep Terry and at what price? He can play D. He does rebound. Do you think his O can return to last year's level? I like Wanamaker better and at a much cheaper price.

IMO, Rozier is a big upgrade over Wannamaker. I know we all expected more this season form Rozier, but I do think if he is the #7 Man in the rotation he will be closer to the player last year than this year, again just a guess on my part.

for clarity , I would probably let Morris and Rozier walk along with Irving IF there was a way to get another player at their level of play. However with our cap issues for next season, we will only the MLE (which I would use on a Hood type shooter) and vet minimum deals to replace Morris and /or Rozier.

so to me, they are worth Market deals ($8-12M I would guess) because we would be unlikely to get a player of their level otherwise (due to the Celtics being able to go over the cap to re-sign Morris and Rozier).

hope that explains my thinking a bit better.

in this case I hope that addition comes from the subtraction of Irving from the team and go with our young guys for the future.

I said take my lumps, because the Irving trade cost us Crowder and the #8 pick last year, along with IT of course. That is also the reason I FEEL that Danny will double down and try to trade for Anthony Davis and then resign Irving this off-season.

Costing us Tatum, Smart the Kings pick this year and the future Grizzlies pick.

I appreciate yourvreasoning and sure hope Danny doesn't sell the farm for AD to keep KI.
Somehow that grisly thought reminds me of Dylan's The Ballad of Hollis Brown from his 3rd album: "There's7 people dead on a South Dakota farm."

It would be remiss not to mention an interesting statistic from the game.

All of Boston's starters were in double figures and they outscored the Bucks starters 94-81.  Our bench however was Nulo y sin efecto as they were beaten severely 32-7.

This is no silver lining as Boston was thoroughly beaten in all manner of the game of basketball.

The Celtics are in desperate need of a stud in the front court.  You cannot win without a dominant big man.  This is what happens when you do not really understand how a team should be structured.  I said this before and I will say it again.  The Boston Celtics have NEVER won a championship without a dominant big.

The blame for this rests squarely on the shoulders of Danny Ainge.  This roster was put together to meet the coaching preferences of Brad Stevens.  This team has to be one of the most undisciplined and undeserving collection of well paid athletes and underachievers.

This off season holds great promise for change.  This band will not have a reunion tour because too many guys are playing in the wrong key and the Maestro cannot bring them all together on the same music sheet.

Danny has only drafted one good (Perk) and one (possibly) decent center in all his years at the helm, Rob Williams. I do hope that works out with RW. I did very much like the young man from UC with the bad knees who slept in the car, Leon Powe. Danny has traded for one great and two good centers...KG and Aron and Glen Davis, although KG was really a 4, like Al Horford, who is a fine player, but I don't want to consider him a true center. Scal was a center. Not really worth mentioning. Ditto Kelly O

worcester wrote:Why keep Terry and at what price? He can play D. He does rebound. Do you think his O can return to last year's level? I like Wanamaker better and at a much cheaper price.

I believe Rozier is less than 40% from the field for his career, he is very wild with the ball. I like some of him but I would rather go a different route. Maybe get someone in the draft that distributes the ball and can hit a open shot.