Post Game Thread Celtics outscore Toronto 115-104 Wed 4/7/2010

[dboss]

The Celtics beat the Raptors 115-104 in Toronto tonight.

One of the positive trends that we have seen as of late is a noticeable increase in the Celtics offensive production.

While Robinson and Daniels are out of the rotation Michael Finley is showing us that he is still a marvelous player shooting the ball. He can provide scoring punch off the bench on a team that has too few rotation players that are reliable perimeter shooters.

To Toronto’s credit they refused to go away and their bench kept the game competitive deep into the final period and since they were playing without Chris Bosh, the Celtics were suppose to win this game.

The playoffs begin on the 17th and I am still waiting to see a measure of defensive intensity.

I think it is great to see the offensive production but until the Celtics get back to being a feared defensive unit, there is an uncertain path laid out for them as the post season is set to begin.

If Kevin can continue to get in the flow (scary moment tonight when he tweaked his ankle) the Celtics chances improve dramatically. Their style of defense just does not work well if KG is not able to play a major role.

It is therefore still difficult to draw any conclusions from a win one night and a loss the next night because the playoffs gives the Celtics the opportunity to go head to head for a series of games. Will their experience and will to win be a factor that is under appreciated or will they discover that it is too late to turn the heat up on a fire that has already burnt out. So many questions to consider. The rotations, late season injuries, coaching, running into a hot opponent, having one or two players go into a slump.

It seems inevitable that we just won’t know what this team will do in the playoffs until they actually begin. My comments here are less about the game becasue when they win or lose it always seems to be for the same reasons

I remain uncertain but optimistic.

dboss

[worcester]

Yes Finley is a gem. He sparkles when he's out there, as does Rondo. Ray sure shows he's still got his stuff as well. Ray's conditioning is amazing. This late in the year and in his career he still has that extra burst to the rim when needed and made some spectacular plays tonight. My big concern - defensive intensity and consistency. W

[Sam]

Dboss,

When KG got stepped on, he looked to be in real pain. It was a huge relief to see him back—and so soon. Doc said, after the game, he was shocked to see KG back at the scorer's table. (That's how he phrased it, which leads me to believe that KG may not even even have checked with Doc before reentering the game.)

In terms of shedding some light on the Celtics' inconsistency in beating good teams and losing to small ones, the highlight of my evening was hearing Finley's post-game interview with Heinsohn. Tommy came up with one of the best questions I've ever heard when, totally out of the blue, he asked Finley how he felt the word "focus" applied to this Celtics team.

Finley responded that they seem to start focusing on the good teams the night before the game but they seem to start focusing on the poorer teams only just before the game. And he wrapped it up (I think alluding to the playoffs) by saying that it's necessary to start focusing on the next game 24 hours a day. I can only hope that will be the case.

I started the glimmers thread because I have this belief that, once a team has demonstrated a certain ability, they continue to retain that ability (whether or not they continue to exhibit it). My best-case scenario (not a prediction but simply a hope) would be that, in entering the playoffs, the Celtics (1) will marshall a cartload of those nearly 90 abilities (including the two I listed tonight) and put them into play simultaneously and (2) will summon an intense 24-hour-per-day focus.

I really liked the synergy of the lineup Doc used down the stretch: Sheed, KG, Finley, Ray and Rondo. Perhaps it was a one-time fluke, but it seemed that quintet represented a highly productive balance and variety of offensive abilities:

• Ball protection (Sheed certainly is more sure-handed than Perk)

• Low-post threat to the point of potential dominance against some opponents (Sheed)

• Floor-spacing and perimeter shooting (Ray, Finley, KG)

• Penetration with the floor spaced so well (Rondo and, to a surprising degree, KG)

• Potential for either outside-in or inside-out offense (with the ball going through Rondo or KG respectively)

• Three very good passers for their positions (Rondo, KG, Sheed)

• Veteran savvy and commitment to team play

Defensively, these five are probably not what a five of (for instance) Perk, KG, Pierce, Tony and Rondo would be. However, Doc made an interesting comment before the game about how he was never sure which defensive team was going to show up.

Ray was also interviewed and made a point of the fact that one of the difficulties encountered by the team this season is that they've never known what combinations they would be playing with. He said they're still experimenting with combinations. But all of that wasn't an excuse. It was merely a prelude to his punch line. "I really liked the combinaton on the floor (toward the end of the game). I agree. Despite having played together so little, they looked very familiar with one another, and it was particularly refreshing and confidence-inducing to watch them in action together.

Could it be Doc is deciding that, realistically, this will never be anything approaching the reliably dominant defensive team of two seasons ago? Could it be he feels it's sometimes preferable to ensure that an effective (and less predictable) blend of offensive and defensive skills and synergy is on the floor? Could it be he is realizing that the starting unit represents neither his single best offensive option nor his single best defensive option and that (at least in certain situations or for certain purposes) mixing and matching selected starters and selected bench players may be preferable? Could it be that Doc is (reluctantly) coming to grips that hero ball in the clutch is chancy at best—especially if the designated hero cannot be relied upon to don his Superman cape in every game?

I'm actually more optimistic than I've been for a while, not because they won a game but because of the smooth effectiveness with which that combination played together. I'm very cognizant of the reality that Paul Pierce will continue to play an important role on this team. However, I'm encouraged by the fact that Doc was willing to suspend normalcy in favor of functionality for at least a while.

Sam

[swedeinestonia]

Saw parts of 1st Q, had to catch some sleep, on the road/boat all day today.

Sounds good if Doc is doing more of what he thinks is best rather than what SHOULD be best.

I have liked what I have seen from Finley from the start and I was actually thinking about a similar rotation to what you guys were talking about. Either that or if you want to go small you can play, Rondo/Ray/Finley/Pierce/KG.

[sinus007]

Hi,
Thanks, guys, for the summaries.
Just want to add a few things. IMO, the last 2 games (NY and TOR) were very similar in terms of Celtics' approach. The difference was in the execution: vs NY it didn't work, vs TOR it did. I hope it's dictated by the fact that it's the end of the season, 3 or 4 spot in the playoffs doesn't really matter: anyway they'll have to go through Cavs. On top of that, seeing the horrible things that happened to Bosh and Hedo (hope he got no broken bones) strengthen this attitude even more.
On the positive side: PP started to plow his way to the hoop. Neat trick by RA hiding the ball behind his back - never saw him doing that before. BBD finally did the right thing: after O-rebound was seeking to pass outside.

AK

[dbrown4]

I think I see what you are getting at Sam. Inconsistency is their consistency. Unpredictable is their predictable. Which if you are their opponent in the playoffs, will blow a microchip. We know how to beat CLE. Either shut down/smother LeBron or let him score 100 points all by himself. But what came out of Sunday's game was, they don't know how to beat us. We did everything we have been doing, playing 2 1/2 quarters of great basketball and then dashing/staggering to the finish line, most times not regaining the lead. NJ did it, NYK did it..for CLE it should be cake. So CLE expected the same result, Celtics will go down in the fourth. (Sounds like a Pulp Fiction quote) And they didn't get it. That's what's tearing up LeBron right now. I really think he is going to snap.

Everything you mentioned or hinted at Sam is the predictable way teams play and fans expect their teams to play in the regular season and the playoffs. With us, we've just learned over this season to see a different way to skin the same cat. And it appears/is appearing to be effective. Why not embrace the unpredictable and drive your real opponents right over the cliff as was seen Sunday? We've been jamming a square peg down a round hole all season and the answer is right under our noses.

I'm really thinking CLE is going to be THE series for the Celtics and the whole playoffs, if it comes. Everything else will be just fluff and of course will include Banner 18 for free.

Damn it, now we're back in 3rd...!!

Also, as Jimmy V. said, a W is a W. Sorry you were short Toronto and Cleveland. Welcome to our club. We've had a whole season of coming up short with players. Sorry your puss hurts at a more pressing time, while you (OK, just CLE) were hoping all season we would roll over and play dead with the near devastating blows to our team. We've had that enough and we've learned our lesson. Now it's your turn. Sucks to be you.

[dbrown4]

Sorry, I just REALLY hate CLE and everything they stand for.

[Sam]

Sinus,

There certainly were similarities between the Knicks and Raptors games. But one HUGE difference was the lineup on the floor down the stretch. Basically, against Toronto, Doc substituted Sheed and Finley for Perk and Pierce. It was only one game and may never happen again; and matchups will always influence such matters.

But, of all the combinations I've seen the Celtics use this season, that was the one that I felt has come closest to putting every single member of the quintet in the best possible position to make the best possible contribution. I don't believe making Pierce the predictable go-to guy and running everything through him is the best way to operate in crunch time. At a point in the game when every possession is like gold, having Perk in the game risks costly turnovers. The floor was beautifully spaced by Ray and Finley, opening the lane for Rondo to drive and either shoot or dish back out. Every single player on the floor was a legitimate crunch time scoring threat, making it difficult for the opponent to double certain players.

One key to a successful offense is to have several good options, which this unit does. As long as Rondo pushes the ball into the forecourt, there is time to run through two or even three legitimately good options, which greatly increases the likelihood of success.

As I said earlier, I'm less sure about this group's defense, but I've been watching Finley closely, and he sticks to his man like glue. One has to wonder whether the crunch time lineup should be geared to strive for stops (possibly at the expense of reliable offense) or to outscore the opponent.

Those people who feel Doc never thinks outside the box should rewatch this game.

Sam

[bobheckler]

I wasn't able to watch the game, but it looks like Pierce finally had a good night and Finley shot lights out and had 6 rebounds in his longest stint as a Celtic yet.

Without Bosh, this game is not evidence of us being back on track since they were mediocre WITH Bosh. Still, coupled with another Atlanta loss, this win gave us our playoff seeding edge back. We are tied, 49-29, with the Celts having the tiebreaker because we won our division. We have 2 at home and 2 away. Atlanta has 4 left with 1 at home and 3 away.

bob

.

[worcester]

If we wind up with the 3 seed the basketball gods will surely have been smiling on us. What's up with Atlanta anyways? We're always talking about how inconsistent the Celtics are. Atlanta is more so it seems.

[bobheckler]

If we wind up with the 3 seed the basketball gods will surely have been smiling on us. What's up with Atlanta anyways? We're always talking about how inconsistent the Celtics are. Atlanta is more so it seems.

worcester,

Atlanta played without Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby against Charlotte and without Johnson last night too.

[worcester]

That explains a lot. Injuries affect the win column over the course of the season for all teams.

[sinus007]

dbrown,
Don't hate Cle, they just got stuck with LJ.
BTW, speaking about Cavs and injuries. How lame it was when during the Sunday game they decided to show a list of Cavs' players and how many games they missed.

AK

[dbrown4]

Yeah, Duke's not complaining about the NCAA bracket falling apart. Last team standing. Doesn't matter. We'll be there, with or without Shaq or Varejao, with or without Johnson or Bibby. For all our games we lost without KG or Paul or Perk or Baby or Quis, etc. we lost. The Celtics lost. We didn't lose because they weren't in there. We lost. That was our team on the floor at the time. Let's watch how the other guys respond to some adversity. We know all about it. We know how LeBron is going to respond...he just won't shake your hand. But he will top that one this year. Believe me, I love a sore loser. As long as I'm on the winning team. LeBron is a classic case. So was Mike Tyson.

[worcester]

Unfortunately with LeBron you have one of the very most gifted basketball players ever to play the game who has an unsportsmanlike attitude when losing. It's good to hate to lose, like Russell and Jordan. It's bad to be ungracious when you do.

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