Post Game Thread - vs Memphis Grizzlies, Away

by **bobheckler** Wed Dec 21, 2016 10:27 am

You wanted a "signature win"? Well, here ya go. We came back from 17 down with 5:33 left in the 3rd to catch and beat the grindmasters, the #2 defense in the NBA, in the Grind House. Was it pretty? Well, the first half sure as Hell wasn't. We shot 30% in the first half and were 1-15 from 3. We were getting severely punked, with JaMichael Green grabbing 11 rebounds, 4 of them offensive. That was at the half, a total of 12 fgm by the Celtics. It was embarrassing, words like "blowout" were being used on the Game On thread, and it was justified.

Memphis has as nice a 2-man game as I have seen since Malone and Stockton retired. Conley and Gasol are something else together, and both played great. Us? Well, we had Mighty Mouse.

IT had 8 points at the half, 3-6 and 0-2 from 3, zero assists, 2-2 fritos. NOT an auspicious start, to say the least. In the end, 44 points on only 16 fgas, 7-10 from 3. 6 assists and only 1 TO, 17-17 from the line. That means he was 7-10, 7-8 from 3, 6 assists, 6 assists and 15-15 from the line in the 2nd half. This game alone should get him his 2nd All-Star appearance. Memphis scored 38 points in the 2nd half, IT alone had 28. He had 20 after 3. A 12 point quarter is noteworthy, is it not? He had 17 in the 4th quarter. After the game Kyle Draper asked IT how he was able to turn it on and score like that. IT's response? "I'm a killa". Yep.

Take IT out of the picture, however, and we have problems. Our bench stunk, for the most part. A combined 5-26, 19%. Rozier, Brown, Jerebko were all Oh-fers. Brad was throwing darts by inserting Gerald Green, who was 2-6 and 3 boards in 7 minutes. Not bad but man, if you're counting on some guy whose ass looks like he got a transplant from Pinocchio to save you then you are in serious trouble. Kelly was 2-7 but he did other stuff. 3 steals and 2 blocks. He also deflected balls that turned into steals or Memphis TOs and snagged some of our loose balls to save the possession. He got a Tommy Point by going to the floor and getting the ball to a Celtic. He looks so damn awkward, he doesn't look like a professional athlete, but he does stuff. He's a platypus. He isn't a center, he isn't much of a PF, he's not a SF neither. However, he was down in the post with SFs on him calling for the ball. He banged with Zach Randolph, and there's a damn load-and-a-half.

It sure didn't hurt that Randolph got ejected for hitting Kelly in the throat with a very meaty elbow with 2+ minutes left in regulation. Unlike the Miami game where IT got ejected for doing the same to Winslow it cost them.

So. We're now 16-12 and 10-7 on the road. Not bad. Sure, most of them came against lesser opponents but the Celtics have played more road games than any other NBA team season-to-date. That's worth something, we're winning on the road, and the team we just beat was 11-6 at home when we showed up last night.

Pathetic Philadelphia couldn't beat the almost as pathetic Pelicans in Philly. At least we can count on Brooklyn losing. They are now tied for the 2nd worst record in the league. They are out here at GSW next. GSW dismantled the #1 defense in the NBA last night, up over 30 points at one point. They have gotten so arrogant the GSW bench is calling traveling calls on their own players. I'm serious. Klay Thompson traveled in a previous game and the GSW bench let the ref know it.

We are tied, with OKC, for the 10th best record in the league. Not bad, especially when you consider how many games we had Jae and Al out, but not awe-inspiring neither. It's a little better when you realize that the team we just beat on the road, Memphis, has the 9th best record. I just don't want to have to count on IT to have a career game, we need others to step up and our bench has not been doing that lately.

http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400899866

Here are highlights from the 2nd half. You do not want to see the ones from the 1st half. Look forward to the Comments From The Other Side thread. They should be great. LOL.

bob

.