POST GAME MIAMI GAME #1

Note the left arm hook by LBJ. Think this was called? Not a chance.






LBJ guarding KG in the post.





This is what dribble penetration can get you. An open shooter.






Ray, with the 3 after the nice punch out of the rebound by KG.





Another 3, from Pierce. A 35 point quarter to tie it up at halftime.





Another dribble penetration, another open shooter. How fundamental.






Run it down their throats, make them retreat into the paint. Open 3 for Dooling who knocks it down.





Penetrate and pass, this time Ray to KG. I feel like I'm in an echo chamber.





bob


.

I do not expect Boston to win this series. After Bradley went down and pp got lame and ray had another spur..it is unlikely the Celts can recover.

Pp has basically sucked throughtout the playoffs with the exception of 1 or 2 games...Kg and Rondo have been carrying this team but that is not enough

Once we were extended by Philly...our fate was determined by the schedule.

Expect a strong showing tomorrow before Lebron and Dwayne take turns abusing our beloved Celtics.

I just hope we play hard.

Dboss

Are you kidding Dboss?

Paul Pierce is averaging 19 points / 7 rebounds / 4 assists / 2 steals.

Do those sound like numbers from a player who sucks?

What a joke.

dboss-I think we have been spoiled, waiting for Paul to score in the 30's plus, he has been strong as possible. There is no doubt he is hurting, but to say he sucked is unfair to him. He has played hard in all the games, we just want hero ball from him and I don't know if it is possible. I am not giving up on this team, you just never know with them.

KEEP THE FAITH MY CELTIC FRIEND, I HAVE SEEN IT HAPPEN BEFORE, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW.

Rosalie

I don't think our chances are good to say the least. However, Paul's effort is beyond reproach. He gives all he has in every game. The wheels are just not cooperating for him. I'd give him the spare jack out of the trunk of my car if I thought it would lift him over James.

MD!

PAUL IS PLAYING HURT ON ONE KNEE..........HE HAS A HEART OF A LION!!!!!

ENOUGH SAID GO CELTICS!!!!!!!!!!

112288

Hey MD

I have heard of a spare tire...... but never a spare jack.
Do you have 2 in the trunk.

beat

And I do agree (age aside,) if all the C's were "close " to being 100% healthy we'd have a very good shot but with some 0 % healthy ( ie, Bradley) and others closer to 0% than 100% we are like a longshot at the Kentucky Derby. But sometimes a longshot wins!

If you had Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox running along with Rondo....Bradley sticking Wade and JON laying the wood on Lebron when he drove to the basket....we have a totally different series.

C's can beat the Heat with the team they have, but they need to play near perfect games. It can happen, but win or lose - I am still over the top with how far they have made it and what heart this team is showing.

Celtic Pride.

I SAY PLAY HIM....HE IS TOUGH AND PHYSICAL AND WILL NOT BACK DOWN. LABRON JAMES NEEDS A BASKETBALL RUBBED IN HIS FACE TO GET A DOSE OF REALITY.........THIS IS NOT A SQUARE DANCE WHERE EVERYONE IS POLITE...............THIS IS THE NBA!!!!!!!! 112288


Seldom-used bench player could have success against James

Sasha Pavlovic could have some success guarding LeBron James.

Paul Pierce isn't the only member of the Boston Celtics who has learned LeBron James' game inside and out.

While Pierce has been battling against James on the opposing team for years, including this season in the Eastern Conference Finals, Celtics swingman Sasha Pavlovic has more firsthand experience with the Miami Heat’s power player.

James was the top pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Pavlovic was selected 18 picks after him. A year later, the two became teammates on the Cavaliers when Pavlovic was traded to Cleveland. They played together on the 2008 Cavaliers squad that was eliminated by the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Pavlovic spent five years on the same team as James and watched him develop from a young phenom into a league MVP. Now that they are facing off in the playoffs for the second year in a row, Pavlovic knows what to expect -- and how to limit -- his former teammate.

“LeBron's always going to be LeBron,” Pavlovic said. “He can score, he's one of the best players in the league, but we've got to make it hard for him. Contest every shot, don't let him get into the lane.”

James scored 32 points in the Heat’s Game 1 victory over the Celtics on Monday, the most points allowed by the C’s this postseason. The 6-8, 250-pound forward got to the rim and attacked the lane, a weapon Pavlovic says the Celtics have to take away from him.

“[He is most effective] probably driving to the middle,” Pavlovic said. “We can't allow him to do that. [He has the] size and he's more aggressive. He tries to get in, then his shots open up, and we've just got to stop him from driving.”

Pavlovic emphasized the Celtics need to focus on the entire Heat team, not just James. But after netting 13 field goals in Game 1 (also the most allowed by the C’s this postseason), it was clear who they have to make defensive adjustments on moving forward.

“All I know is, he's like everybody else [during the playoffs],” said Pavlovic. “He’s more focused and playing as hard as he can.”

Pavlovic played four minutes in the series opener. Whether or not he will be called upon to use his familiarity with James remains to be seen.

Almost nothing would surprise me at this point; except for no change.

I'm sure Doc has planned well for this critical game and I hope we see an entertaining and enjoyable outcome.

Beat:

You could have the spare jack, but it's jack cheese! I have only one trunk, but one missing elephant! (I'm Republican) and I put an APB out for the pack-a derm. Hopefully, he'll relieve himself on Wade & James. Maybe Mike Hammer can find the beast. Make a note, Velda! (LOL)

MD!

I wonder what would happen if Sasha spent some time on James while Paul Pierce guarded Wade. Yes, Paul would be at a quickness disadvantage, but no more so than Ray is now. And Paul would have a height and especially a strength advantage against a guy whose strength vs. opposing SGs is of his chief assets.

Sam

Sam,

I am calling Danny Ainge and you'll have a contract in the mail tomorrow as assistant to the assistant to the assistant head coach!

ALL KIDDING ASIDE.........THAT IS A GREAT SUGGESTION!!!!!!!!

112288

With Pierce's knees, I can't see him guarding Wade for any length of time.
Paul needs to guard one of their shooters like James Jones or Mike Miller.
The more Paul has to do on the defensive end, the less he will have on the offensive end.

Paul will not have much energy left if has to guard Wade.

Saying pp sucks is not fair...he has been battling hard... But if does not play well tonight along with kg and rr...we can kiss this series goodbye.

Tonights game may very well determine the final outcome of the series because I cannot see us winning 4 out if 5 given all the key injuries.

Hoping for the best but expecting the worse.

Dboss

TJ,

As it is, Paul's guarding Lebron, which isn't exactly designed to allow Paul to rest while he's on the court. Paul has no physical advantage over Lebron. If he guarded Wade, at least Paul would have a height advantage AND he wouldn't be at a strength disadvantage like all the Celtics' shooting guards are.

My exact words were "some time," and they were intended to imply a temporary move. I've never been a fan of Paul as a SG; but, as a change of pace, I could see this as a potential Heat momentum interrupter. The added height could also help the Celtics' rebounding situation.

I'm just in favor of any measure that could really impact the Heat on even a temporary basis.

Sam

I think Pietrus needs to become a lebron stopper. Free pp to expend his energy on offense.

Dboss

Sam,

I could see Bass playing LeBron more to give Pierce a break.
Boston needs all the offense they can get right now so keeping Paul away from guarding Wade and LeBron is ideal, although maybe not very realistic.

LeBron will get his 30/9/7 no matter who is guarding him.

Without Bradley and with Ray at 1/3 of his normal self, Doc's rotation against Miami is very difficult.

You know how I feel about Boston (not a fan) but all of you Celtics fans should be proud of what they have already accomplished this season. Outside of Kobe, my Lakers have not fought to the end the last two years and last year acted like thugs.

D

Did you or anyone else out here REALLY think the Celtics would get this far this season?

They are playing with house money.....so I see no reason to be down. They are a great team full of great warriors and win lose or draw, they have given us an amazing season.

Dont count them out yet my friend.

MrK

Well said!

112288

IRISH COFFEE: MARQUIS DANIELS TO THE CELTICS’ RESCUE? 05.30.12 at
By Ben Rohrbach

The Celtics ran into this same question last season, and surely will have to answer it next year and the year after that: Who gives Paul Pierce a break defending LeBron James?

James played 44 minutes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, and Pierce was on the floor for 40 of them. While chasing the NBA MVP around as he took 30 percent of Miami’s 72 field goal attempts and scored 32 of the Heat’s 93 points, the Celtics captain had little left in the tank on the offensive end.

Pierce finished with 12 points on 5-of-18 field goals and failed to get to the free throw line, where he’s made his bones on a bum knee during this playoff run. It was only the third time in his career he didn’t attempt a foul shot in a playoff game, and two of those have come since he sprained the MCL in his left knee.

Jeff Green was supposed to be the guy who could spare Pierce for even a handful of minutes, and he actually did a fairly good job against James in the 2011 playoffs, but that hope ended in heart surgery and a lost season. Then, Mickael Pietrus showed potential as that guy, but he’s had to assume the backup duties to Ray Allen on Dwyane Wade in Avery Bradley‘s absence, and that problem is only becoming more complicated.

That leaves Celtics coach Doc Rivers with Sasha Pavlovic and Marquis Daniels as his last two options.

Pavlovic shared the court with his former Cavaliers teammate for all of 17 minutes during the regular season, and James generated 29.6 points on 63 percent shooting per 36 minutes in that span. Not exactly a plug in the LBJ dam.

The numbers for Daniels are a little more interesting. Remember, he’s the guy who gave the Celtics 15 effective minutes (game-high plus-11) against Joe Johnson in the 87-80 comeback victory against the Hawks in Game 2 of that series.

During the regular season, James averaged 23.1 points (40 FG%) per 36 in 14 minutes with Daniels on the floor and 27.9 points (56 FG%) per 36 in 98 minutes with Daniels on the bench. Over the past two seasons, in 37 shared minutes, James attempted half as many field goal attempts in the paint per 36 minutes with Daniels on the court. A small sample size, for sure.

But isn’t it worth exploring, even for a few minutes, especially if Pierce continues to struggle on both ends of the floor? At the very least, Daniels/Pavlovic gives the Celtics 12 fouls against James/Wade. “They’ve got to hit the deck, too,” right?

“I mean, I don’t really prepare for something I already think that’s going to happen every game,” James told the South Florida Sun Sentinel in response to Rajon Rondo‘s “hit the deck” comments, “so I don’t have to prepare for it.”

The problem? James and Wade didn’t hit the deck in Game 1. All but five of their 21 made field goals in the series opener came in the paint against the Celtics, including 13 buckets within three feet of the basket.

Another possible solution for Rivers could be going small against the Heat. Miami’s most commonly used lineup in Chris Bosh‘s absence is James, Wade, Mario Chalmers, Shane Battier and Joel Anthony. Why not match up respectively with something like Pietrus, Allen/Daniels/Keyon Dooling, Rondo, Pierce and Kevin Garnett?

That lineup still gives the C’s overwhelming matchups at point guard (Rondo vs. Chalmers) and center (Garnett vs. Anthony), puts their best wing defender (Pietrus) on James, allows Pierce to guard Battier — an easier assignment on the perimeter, akin to Atlanta’s Marvin Williams — and throws the kitchen sink at Wade.

None of these options might make a lick of difference in Game 2, but obviously something has to change. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and that’s exactly what Daniels and Pavlovic are.

112288

mrkleen09 wrote:Are you kidding Dboss?

Paul Pierce is averaging 19 points / 7 rebounds / 4 assists / 2 steals.

Do those sound like numbers from a player who sucks?

What a joke.

I absolutely agree with you on Pierce. Hasn't been great but has played pretty well. Lets see now, he outplayed JJ from Atlanta and pretty much won the game Rondo was out. He outplayed IGGY pretty much as well. Pretty much the only guy that gets to the foul line. I don't know how many blocks block shots but he has way more than his share for the team, stopped two layups against Philly that could have turned the tied and KEPT THEM OFF THE FREE THROW LINE in the process. Your stats for him look pretty good to me for games being played in the 80's. When he leaves a lot of people are going to figure out what he does for the team.