Post Game Thread - vs Warriors, Home 1/30/20

[bobheckler]

A nice workmanlike win.  Not awesome, not a statement win, but solid.  They got off to a hot start, we caught up and ran past them and then never let them get closer than 7 points after that.  We won every quarter.  There will be people who will say we should have won by 25 instead of 15 but that's just greed.  They made some runs, we stopped them before a couple of big shots could bring them within a possession, and then we ran it back up to 16.

For the 2nd game in a row our #3 and #4 All-Stars (aka "the ones who didn't make the squad") had great games.  Hayward was game high scorer with 25 points and 8 rebounds and Brown had 18 and 7.  Hayward is continuing to confound defenders with his slow, deliberate, very under control play.  Brown, who deserved an All-Star berth instead of high-volume low-efficiency Jimmy Butler, is overwhelming his defenders.  He's shooting 49.4% from the floor, 39.2% from 3, this season.  Remember when he was considered a non-shooter?  Hayward's shooting 51.1% on the season, 38% from 3.  And these two are our #3 and #4 scoring options.  That's amazing.

Every time I look at Tatum now I marvel at how big his shoulders have gotten.  He came into the league a stick figure, 6'8", 208#, and now he has to be closer to 230#.

Smart with 21.  If only he could be more consistent offensively.  His defense is consistently Smarty, but he has great games like this and then he can't throw the ball in the ocean from the end of the pier.  I'm not really complaining, everything else he does more than makes up for this, it just makes me wonder why he can shoot like this on one night and then be so bad the next.

Grant Williams with another solid game.  He's finding his niche.  Had a nice little turnaround fadeaway baseline shot that could work for him in future games.

Semi played 29 minutes.  That surprised me when I looked on the box score.  A couple of good moments, good perimeter defense.

Poirier played 6 minutes and got 3 fouls.  I thought 2 of them were BS rookie whistles but 3 there were.  I honestly don't understand why he doesn't get more minutes.  Every time I see him play he seems very sound fundamentally.  He sets good picks, he rolls to the rim, he doesn't blow defensive rotations.  He got switched onto a player at the arc and did such a good job defending him the Warrior had to pass it to Draymond Green who took a buzzerbeating 3pt heave with Semi (or Grant?) on his shooting hand, which missed, but it was Poirier's excellent defense on his man that ate up the clock and forced a pass to a non-shooter.  Brad must see things in practice I don't see.

22 turnovers can't make Brad happy.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401161359




The Boston Celtics' Tribute to Kobe:





bob


.

[dboss]

Marcus Smart is shooting 35.1% from deep for the year.  He does not always take them in the flow of the offense but 35% is pretty impressive for a so-called non-shooter.

GH led the team in scoring again.  He only took 15 shots.  GH may lull a defender into thinking slow ball but then he blows past guys.  So there you go.  GH should be putting up 15-16 shots per game but he is so unselfish as a player and continually looks to feed his teammates.  This was his 4th straight game going over 20 points.

The Celtics moved into 3rd place over the Heat by virtue of their head to head matchups.  You think beating the top teams in your conference is important?  You bet it is.  The Celtics are one game back in the loss column behind Toronto.  

I expect the Celtics to come out like gangbusters after the break.  RW is back at practice and will get another MRI next week.  He is close to returning.

Take a peak back to last year.  The Celtics were 32-19 at this time last year.

[bobheckler]

bob



.

[dboss]

I am ahead of my skis.  Boston has 7 games left before the break.  The most important game is the next game against Philly at home.  The Celtics have yet to solve the puzzle but I have a gut feeling that they will do so on Saturday.

Philly is a sub-par road team at 9-16

After that we play in Atlanta and return home to play Orlando and Atlanta again.

Then it is back on the road with games at OKC and Houston.  On the 13th we have a home game against the Clippers.

This is a tough 7 game stretch with 4 playoff teams in the mix.

[worcester]

"Every time I look at Tatum now I marvel at how big his shoulders have gotten. He came into the league a stick figure, 6'8", 208#, and now he has to be closer to 230#."

So true. He is really filling out. Just wait until he's 25. Wow. Will he be something with his grown man strength.

[wideclyde]

Bob,

Poirier does not play more because he does not impress anyone including Coach Stevens.

You may have described one play where he did well, but you also mentioned the three fouls.

In my opinion, this guy may just be another total bust as an NBA player who may get cut in about 3 seconds by any team with some cap space if Ainge can find a way to include him in a deadline trade

[worcester]

I see him playing decently.

[dboss]

I see him playing decently.

VP has not had much of an opportunity to play.  Results cannot be measured in absence of opportunity.  

Brad has not found a way to utilize his size.  I really like Brad as a coach but his small ball preference may sink the ship.  VP does not seem to be part of this team except as a deep level reserve.

It will be facinating to see how things play out.  I cannot help but feel sorry for a guy who said he was not coming here to sit on the bench.

[cowens/oldschool]

Poirier can defend, in the little glimpses my eye test says he’s not a liability. Plug him in with Kemba, Jaylen, Tatum and GH, I don’t see why it couldn’t work. Or a Smart, Jaylen, Tatum, GWill, Poirier could also work....hope he gets a shot, especially with RWill still out.

[cowens/oldschool]

Speaking of defense loved the way Smart just ripped the ball away from Draymond on the post up, a staple of his....

[bobheckler]

Poirier can defend, in the little glimpses my eye test says he’s not a liability. Plug him in with Kemba, Jaylen, Tatum and GH, I don’t see why it couldn’t work. Or a Smart, Jaylen, Tatum, GWill, Poirier could also work....hope he gets a shot, especially with RWill still out.

Cow,

I agree. Poirier needs a penetrator who will execute the pnr with him. I would suggest Hayward or Smart. Poirier sets the pick, then rolls as Hayward/Smart keep their defender on their back and challenges Poirier's man to switch onto them, and I predict we'll see some positive results there.


bob


.

[dbrown4]

I'm with you, dboss.  Most important game is the next one.  This, to me, is a psychological game.  Celtics blow this one, and PHI is in their heads and we are done, fully operational or not.  We can only hope we don't meet them in the playoffs early.  

If we met in playoffs and were swept during the season, we MAY win one, possibly two but we won't get to the next round.  If we do beat them tonight and soundly, then we would have a 6-7 game series on our hands.  

PHI is going to want to put Boston out of their way tonight and subsequently for the playoffs.  Period.

So, IMHBAO, this is a MUST win tonight.  Period. And won going away.  

db

P.S.  No pressure!

[bobheckler]

I'm with you, dboss.  Most important game is the next one.  This, to me, is a psychological game.  Celtics blow this one, and PHI is in their heads and we are done, fully operational or not.  We can only hope we don't meet them in the playoffs early.  

If we met in playoffs and were swept during the season, we MAY win one, possibly two but we won't get to the next round.  If we do beat them tonight and soundly, then we would have a 6-7 game series on our hands.  

PHI is going to want to put Boston out of their way tonight and subsequently for the playoffs.  Period.

So, IMHBAO, this is a MUST win tonight.  Period.  And won going away.   

db

P.S.  No pressure!

db,

Kemba and Kanter are both out tonight.


bob


.

[dbrown4]

we've got our work cut out for us, then. Especially is your name starts with Theis!

db

[dboss]

I'm with you, dboss.  Most important game is the next one.  This, to me, is a psychological game.  Celtics blow this one, and PHI is in their heads and we are done, fully operational or not.  We can only hope we don't meet them in the playoffs early.  

If we met in playoffs and were swept during the season, we MAY win one, possibly two but we won't get to the next round.  If we do beat them tonight and soundly, then we would have a 6-7 game series on our hands.  

PHI is going to want to put Boston out of their way tonight and subsequently for the playoffs.  Period.

So, IMHBAO, this is a MUST win tonight.  Period.  And won going away.   

db

P.S.  No pressure!

Dbrown

Philly is up 0-3  on  the Celtics.  The Celtics need to win this game.  I think it is the most important game of the year given the 0-3 deficit.  It is so important for Boston to send the message that we can beat you.

[gyso]

I'm with you, dboss.  Most important game is the next one.  This, to me, is a psychological game.  Celtics blow this one, and PHI is in their heads and we are done, fully operational or not.  We can only hope we don't meet them in the playoffs early.  

If we met in playoffs and were swept during the season, we MAY win one, possibly two but we won't get to the next round.  If we do beat them tonight and soundly, then we would have a 6-7 game series on our hands.  

PHI is going to want to put Boston out of their way tonight and subsequently for the playoffs.  Period.

So, IMHBAO, this is a MUST win tonight.  Period.  And won going away.   

db

P.S.  No pressure!

Dbrown

Philly is up 0-3  on  the Celtics.  The Celtics need to win this game.  I think it is the most important game of the year given the 0-3 deficit.  It is so important for Boston to send the message that we can beat you.

Paul Pierce just said that the regular season record against another team doesn't matter come playoffs. Different prep, different mindset, etc.

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