Celtics spank Raptors 112-94 round 2 game 1

Great game and great start for the Celtics in Round 2.  Not much to add that hasn't been said already.  

Couple of things, though.  First of all, the last game we played them was proven to be no fluke.  The only difference was we were down one significant player and the difference showed in today's game.  We've got room to improve.  That's what DLill said after going up 1-0 on LAL.  More on this below.

I'm in the same boat as you about COY, dboss.  I'm sticking with my earlier prediction that secretly this is all about the COY.  I know as players you can't base your series battle cry/mantra on this emotional snub, but I can promise you the players have the 90-1 score in the forefront of their minds all the time.  They want and need to show the league that was an egregious error.    

This game wasn't the big one although it is the set up.  It's Tuesday's game that's the big deal.  N-Squared has to come out and prove how and why he's the COY after being handed his ass on a platter twice now in back-to-back games with the opposition being down one significant player and the "upstart" Brad Stevens.  If we come out and hand them a third consecutive brow beating and complete dismantling performance, MAJOR doubt will not only seep into his head but more and most importantly his players' minds.  That's the killer.  It will be back breaking and disheartening.  It's probably already starting to wobble their knees ever so slightly.          

Both games were blowouts.  We weren't able to run this one up into 30's like the first game being sans OG, but we hit hard and early and never let up.  After the first quarter, the outcome was never in doubt.  

Add to this what was going on last year at this time for us.  We beat MIL rather soundly G1 in this very same 2nd Round...and then the wheels came off.  All 4 at once.  Led by none other than Cryrie.  Remember the Titanic. I believe we collectively blamed G2 and subsequent losses on Kyrie for quitting AND Brad for not repeating the G1 playbook for the next 4 games. Brad will remember this. If he's the real COY he'll come out and torch TOR Tuesday. No pressure.    

If TOR wins G2, our players are potentially back in the same mindset as last year.  They need to put the hammer down and remove all doubt that this isn't last year's team.  Nowhere close.  

Of course, we're still not noticed and won't be except by maybe Kenny and Shaq.  It's still the LAL vs. MIL Show until either or neither fail to show up in the Finals.  But it's wake up time in the bubble.  All the "NBA Experts" (whoever their are) pick TOR to take us out. (13-5 in ESPN article recently)    

This series may show out how important home court is or was and what the lack of it does to some teams.  This game probably would not have turned out this way if we were playing G1 & G2 for that matter in TOR.  TOR needs Jurassic Park.  They need their fans.  I don't think we care at this point.  You know what I mean.  The Boston fans are the best in the world.  And the players feed off of them and their crazed support.  But this team may be completely ruthless.  We'll find out Tuesday.

Go Celtics!!  

db

A most enjoyable outcome, to be sure.

1.  I'm not counting on Toronto shooting so miserably next game.  They missed a lot of open shots.

2.  I do expect their fg% to be lower than during the season because we have an excellent defense too and we did a good job of closing out their shooters, and I have no reason to believe we won't again.

3.  Pascal Siakam shot 5-16.  Jaylen shot 5-18.  What this game showed me is that they need Siakam, but we don't need Brown.

Some people have made some remarks about Theis' turnovers.  I don't want to mention any names (Cowens) but their point was that we would have won by 25 without them.  Perhaps, but the same could be said if Jaylen had shot his normal %, or if Smart hadn't had 5 turnovers but let's remember that at least a couple of Theis' turnovers were passes made to him while he was deep in the paint and being swarmed, which Toronto does very well.  What we want and expect from Theis is to contest shots, body up bigger centers as best as he can on defense and pull them out of the paint with his shooting on offense.  Rebounding is a bonus from him since he's usually too consumed with trying to keep his bigger man off the glass to go get the ball himself.  He leaves that job to Tatum and Brown etal.  Yesterday Theis had 13 points and a career high 15 rebounds.  He had 2 blocks.  He did everything we ask of him.  Could he have had 17-20 points if he hit his bunnies and wasn't getting stripped down low?  Yeah, but that's not why he's on the floor, to score points.

The Time Lord is now legend.  Doris Burke gave a reasonable explanation of how he got his nickname and there's nothing Danny can do about it anymore.  It has its own life now.  Playing-wise, he did well.  Made a few mistakes on defense, didn't rotate fast enough, but overall he played quite well.

Sean Grande
@SeanGrandePBP
·
10h
It's just the 4th time in 74 years of Boston Celtics history they've won their first five playoff games.

A win in Game 2 Tuesday would match the franchise record set in 1986.

(A fairly decent squad that year)


5 down, 11 more to go.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401240076




bob


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“Roll Green Tide”

I like it Worcester!