Celtics vs Warriors - Thoughts and Plots

worcester wrote:Don't forget. The Warriors are older and more fragile (Wiggins)  than the Celtics.

Great point. The average age of their big 3 is 33. We’re much younger and even though we’ve had 2-7 game series, I believe that collectively they’ll certainly run out of gas before we do.

I hope you are correct Ktron. I really do. And if they do, they need to go ahead on and win G2 via steamroll.

I like us starting out on the road given our road record. Puts HUGE pressure on GSW. We're not expected to win. GS is.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you Ktron on G1. While this team has progressed each round, albeit slowly, they have found a way to win their way each time, backs against the wall or not.

If we were to be so fortunate to win G1 in the Finals, I'm afraid the backlash from GS would be so great, they would gentlemanly sweep us. It's too brash of a move.
Now if we can win it on the last play or by a couple of points in a close defensive battle, go right ahead. But a steamroll will have the Memorial Day Massacre effect. I prefer the backdoor/false sense of security approach as follows.

Golden State has had plenty of time to see, read and soak in all their headlines to the point their heads are about to explode. That alone with get them a G1 victory. Then after Ime has had a chance to tell his team once again that you didn't listen to me in G1, unleash the Death Star. The lose one, win one, win a B2B approach has worked wonders for this team.

Looking at their trek through the playoffs, I just don't think this team as graduated to the stage of winning the 1st game on the road of the Finals and the tsunami that would ensue afterwards from GS. It's not quite there yet. Next year? That's a different story.

Granted, we beat BKN in G1, but they turned out to be pathetic. Then we lost G1 to MIL. Then we dropped to the 3 of 4-3 for games at home in the ECF.

We just either need to contain the loss or put ourselves in a position to win G1 in the last minute or last play. I will go with the latter. Win or lose that one and we're still in great shape. We're not supposed to win the first two games anyway.

Anyway, for what it's worth...

db

Ime and the players emphatically state that “We are not afraid of anybody”.
Worrying about how GS reacts to a game 1 loss is like the Bucks avoiding Brooklyn. GW is a great team but I doubt if anyone with our team would be worrying about consequences over winning game one.

Its like I heard a caller say on SportsTalk yesterday that he was concerned about Ime’s future if we end up winning the NBA title this year. He said if this happens, Ime has no place to go but down. Silly.

Win and don't concern oneself with anything other than winning again.

The line on Game 1 is GSW -3.5. That's basically even with the edge going to the Dubs for home court.


Bob


.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/06/01/sports/its-all-about-history-with-celtics-teams-old-timers-feel-connected-this-group/

It’s all about history with the Celtics, and the team’s old-timers feel connected to this group
By Dan Shaughnessy Globe Staff,Updated June 1, 2022, 12:05 p.m.

The Boston Celtics are the most decorated and storied hoop squad in history. They are the New York Yankees of basketball, if you will. They have fans around the globe thanks to the hard work and successes of men named Auerbach, Russell, Cousy, and Jones who first won titles when Dwight Eisenhower was president.

In the spring of 2022, the torch has been passed to a new generation of Celtic stars — young men named Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford, who has played 15 NBA seasons without competing in a championship round. The new-millennium Celtics are coached by 44-year-old Ime Udoka, who played some of his college ball for the University of San Francisco, where Bill Russell and K.C. Jones learned to play defense and won a pair of NCAA championships more than 65 years ago.

The Celtics are back in the NBA Finals and will play Game 1 against the gold standard, the Golden State Warriors, Thursday at the Chase Center in Mission Bay. It’s a chance for the 24-year-old Tatum and 25-year-old Brown to assert themselves as top-tier NBA superstars against Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the three-time-champion Warriors.

Celtic forefathers are thrilled with the success of their progeny.

“To have this happen at the age of 93 is really a special moment,” Hall of Famer Bob Cousy said from his Worcester home this week. “Watching an 18th flag go up in the rafters would certainly be significant. This is going to produce two weeks of very exciting television.”

It’s a dream matchup for ABC, featuring East Coast vs. West Coast and two of the NBA’s original franchises. The only other time these teams met in an NBA Finals was when Russell’s Celtics beat Wilt Chamberlain’s San Francisco Warriors in five games in 1964.

Eighty-three-year-old Tom “Satch” Sanders started every game of that series for the Celtics and has been watching the 2022 playoffs from his home in Charlton.

“There is no question about the connection we feel,” Sanders said this week. “Particularly when they have some success. Then you feel connected and you want to be connected.
                                                                                                                       
Sanders played 13 seasons for Boston, won eight championships, and later coached the team for general manager Red Auerbach. His No. 16 is in the Garden rafters, along with (among others) the numbers of Russell (6), Cousy (14), K.C. Jones (25), Larry Bird (33), and Cedric Maxwell (31).

Like millions of other fans, Sanders watched Sunday night’s postgame ceremony when Maxwell (1981 Finals MVP) presented the newly created Bob Cousy (conference championship) Trophy to Horford, and the equally new Larry Bird (conference finals MVP) Trophy to Tatum.

Perfect. Retired No. 31 passing baubles named after Nos. 14 and 33 to today’s Nos. 42 (Horford) and 0 (Tatum).

“What a meaningful moment,” said Cousy, who won six championships with the Celtics and was league MVP in 1957. “My old team is the first recipient of the Bob Cousy Trophy. To have set the table for this league and this sport and be part of that legacy is special.”

It’s always about history with the Celtics. The Celtics and Lakers are currently tied for most NBA championships (17 each) and this series gives Boston a chance to vault back on top. It’s the Celtics’ first trip to the Finals since losing a crushing Game 7 to the Lakers at the Staples Center in 2010.

Winners of 11 championships in 13 seasons with Russell, the Celtics have won but a single NBA crown (2008) since the Bird Celtics won their third and final flag in the near-perfect 1985-86 season (50-1 at home).

Danny Ainge, a starting guard on those ‘86 champs, assembled most of today’s roster with shrewd trading and drafting during his 18-year tenure as Auerbach’s ultimate successor. Coached by Brad Stevens, today’s Celtics made it to three conference finals in four seasons (2017-20), but seismic changes were needed after a mediocre (36-36) 2020-21 season ended with an ugly playoff loss to Kyrie Irving and the Nets. Ainge retired, Stevens moved upstairs to run basketball operations, and Udoka — a man with no NBA head coaching experience — was named the 18th coach of the Celtics.

Things started roughly for Udoka and he publicly called out his players a couple of times early in the season. In late January, the Celtics were under .500, ranked 11th in the conference, and on a path to miss the playoffs. Suddenly, they got healthy and adopted Udoka’s relentless defensive schemes. Since Jan. 23, they’ve been the best team in basketball, winning 40 of 53.

At the end of the regular season, the Celtics owned the best defensive metrics in the league, Tatum was named All-NBA starting five, and Smart was awarded Defensive Player of the Year.

“Marcus is the kind of guy you’d want to play with,” said Hall of Famer Sanders. “He reminds me of K.C., who had that kind of toughness. Of course, K.C. didn’t shoot that much. He made sure to get the ball to Sam Jones or John Havlicek.”

“If Marcus were playing for me, I don’t care what his ego is, I’d have him in the game,” said Cousy. “I would tell him not to shoot the 3-pointer, but I would have him on the floor, absolutely.”

The Celtics’ February-March surge carried over into the playoffs. They swept the dysfunctional Nets in April, won an elimination Game 6 on the road in Milwaukee before dethroning the defending champion Bucks in Game 7 of the conference semifinals, then won Game 7 of the conference finals in Miami Sunday. They are 7-2 on the road in the playoffs.

“This is indeed special, since it’s been some time since the last few championships for us,” said Sanders. “It was a long time between the 16th and 17th. But when you talk about the days of Russell and Cousy — as opposed to now — it’s much the same because the pressure was on for every game.

‘’I think we should win this series. We’ve got a better-balanced team.”

Sanders was drafted out of NYU by Auerbach 62 years ago … but when he talks about the new generation of Celtics, it’s still “we.”

Sweet.

steve3344 wrote:https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/06/01/sports/its-all-about-history-with-celtics-teams-old-timers-feel-connected-this-group/

It’s all about history with the Celtics, and the team’s old-timers feel connected to this group
By Dan Shaughnessy Globe Staff,Updated June 1, 2022, 12:05 p.m.

The Boston Celtics are the most decorated and storied hoop squad in history. They are the New York Yankees of basketball, if you will. They have fans around the globe thanks to the hard work and successes of men named Auerbach, Russell, Cousy, and Jones who first won titles when Dwight Eisenhower was president.

In the spring of 2022, the torch has been passed to a new generation of Celtic stars — young men named Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford, who has played 15 NBA seasons without competing in a championship round. The new-millennium Celtics are coached by 44-year-old Ime Udoka, who played some of his college ball for the University of San Francisco, where Bill Russell and K.C. Jones learned to play defense and won a pair of NCAA championships more than 65 years ago.

The Celtics are back in the NBA Finals and will play Game 1 against the gold standard, the Golden State Warriors, Thursday at the Chase Center in Mission Bay. It’s a chance for the 24-year-old Tatum and 25-year-old Brown to assert themselves as top-tier NBA superstars against Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the three-time-champion Warriors.

Celtic forefathers are thrilled with the success of their progeny.

“To have this happen at the age of 93 is really a special moment,” Hall of Famer Bob Cousy said from his Worcester home this week. “Watching an 18th flag go up in the rafters would certainly be significant. This is going to produce two weeks of very exciting television.”

It’s a dream matchup for ABC, featuring East Coast vs. West Coast and two of the NBA’s original franchises. The only other time these teams met in an NBA Finals was when Russell’s Celtics beat Wilt Chamberlain’s San Francisco Warriors in five games in 1964.

Eighty-three-year-old Tom “Satch” Sanders started every game of that series for the Celtics and has been watching the 2022 playoffs from his home in Charlton.

“There is no question about the connection we feel,” Sanders said this week. “Particularly when they have some success. Then you feel connected and you want to be connected.
                                                                                                                       
Sanders played 13 seasons for Boston, won eight championships, and later coached the team for general manager Red Auerbach. His No. 16 is in the Garden rafters, along with (among others) the numbers of Russell (6), Cousy (14), K.C. Jones (25), Larry Bird (33), and Cedric Maxwell (31).

Like millions of other fans, Sanders watched Sunday night’s postgame ceremony when Maxwell (1981 Finals MVP) presented the newly created Bob Cousy (conference championship) Trophy to Horford, and the equally new Larry Bird (conference finals MVP) Trophy to Tatum.

Perfect. Retired No. 31 passing baubles named after Nos. 14 and 33 to today’s Nos. 42 (Horford) and 0 (Tatum).

“What a meaningful moment,” said Cousy, who won six championships with the Celtics and was league MVP in 1957. “My old team is the first recipient of the Bob Cousy Trophy. To have set the table for this league and this sport and be part of that legacy is special.”

It’s always about history with the Celtics. The Celtics and Lakers are currently tied for most NBA championships (17 each) and this series gives Boston a chance to vault back on top. It’s the Celtics’ first trip to the Finals since losing a crushing Game 7 to the Lakers at the Staples Center in 2010.

Winners of 11 championships in 13 seasons with Russell, the Celtics have won but a single NBA crown (2008) since the Bird Celtics won their third and final flag in the near-perfect 1985-86 season (50-1 at home).

Danny Ainge, a starting guard on those ‘86 champs, assembled most of today’s roster with shrewd trading and drafting during his 18-year tenure as Auerbach’s ultimate successor. Coached by Brad Stevens, today’s Celtics made it to three conference finals in four seasons (2017-20), but seismic changes were needed after a mediocre (36-36) 2020-21 season ended with an ugly playoff loss to Kyrie Irving and the Nets. Ainge retired, Stevens moved upstairs to run basketball operations, and Udoka — a man with no NBA head coaching experience — was named the 18th coach of the Celtics.

Things started roughly for Udoka and he publicly called out his players a couple of times early in the season. In late January, the Celtics were under .500, ranked 11th in the conference, and on a path to miss the playoffs. Suddenly, they got healthy and adopted Udoka’s relentless defensive schemes. Since Jan. 23, they’ve been the best team in basketball, winning 40 of 53.

At the end of the regular season, the Celtics owned the best defensive metrics in the league, Tatum was named All-NBA starting five, and Smart was awarded Defensive Player of the Year.

“Marcus is the kind of guy you’d want to play with,” said Hall of Famer Sanders. “He reminds me of K.C., who had that kind of toughness. Of course, K.C. didn’t shoot that much. He made sure to get the ball to Sam Jones or John Havlicek.”

“If Marcus were playing for me, I don’t care what his ego is, I’d have him in the game,” said Cousy. “I would tell him not to shoot the 3-pointer, but I would have him on the floor, absolutely.”

The Celtics’ February-March surge carried over into the playoffs. They swept the dysfunctional Nets in April, won an elimination Game 6 on the road in Milwaukee before dethroning the defending champion Bucks in Game 7 of the conference semifinals, then won Game 7 of the conference finals in Miami Sunday. They are 7-2 on the road in the playoffs.

“This is indeed special, since it’s been some time since the last few championships for us,” said Sanders. “It was a long time between the 16th and 17th. But when you talk about the days of Russell and Cousy — as opposed to now — it’s much the same because the pressure was on for every game.

‘’I think we should win this series. We’ve got a better-balanced team.”

Sanders was drafted out of NYU by Auerbach 62 years ago … but when he talks about the new generation of Celtics, it’s still “we.”

Sweet.

Hi Steve,

Long time no speak.  Snark.


Bob
P.S.  After re-reading this I realize I should explain further because it could be taken wrongly.  I exchange emails every single day with Steve.  We speak on the phone regularly.



.

Sean Grande
@SeanGrandePBP
We've covered this Celtics team having the 4th best road differential in NBA history.

Here, to scale, is how they've lapped the best Celtics teams ever.

They could get outscored by 60 in the Finals road games and still finish first.

(On this list, not the way they hope to)




Bob


.

bobheckler wrote:

steve3344 wrote:https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/06/01/sports/its-all-about-history-with-celtics-teams-old-timers-feel-connected-this-group/

It’s all about history with the Celtics, and the team’s old-timers feel connected to this group
By Dan Shaughnessy Globe Staff,Updated June 1, 2022, 12:05 p.m.

The Boston Celtics are the most decorated and storied hoop squad in history. They are the New York Yankees of basketball, if you will. They have fans around the globe thanks to the hard work and successes of men named Auerbach, Russell, Cousy, and Jones who first won titles when Dwight Eisenhower was president.

In the spring of 2022, the torch has been passed to a new generation of Celtic stars — young men named Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford, who has played 15 NBA seasons without competing in a championship round. The new-millennium Celtics are coached by 44-year-old Ime Udoka, who played some of his college ball for the University of San Francisco, where Bill Russell and K.C. Jones learned to play defense and won a pair of NCAA championships more than 65 years ago.

The Celtics are back in the NBA Finals and will play Game 1 against the gold standard, the Golden State Warriors, Thursday at the Chase Center in Mission Bay. It’s a chance for the 24-year-old Tatum and 25-year-old Brown to assert themselves as top-tier NBA superstars against Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the three-time-champion Warriors.

Celtic forefathers are thrilled with the success of their progeny.

“To have this happen at the age of 93 is really a special moment,” Hall of Famer Bob Cousy said from his Worcester home this week. “Watching an 18th flag go up in the rafters would certainly be significant. This is going to produce two weeks of very exciting television.”

It’s a dream matchup for ABC, featuring East Coast vs. West Coast and two of the NBA’s original franchises. The only other time these teams met in an NBA Finals was when Russell’s Celtics beat Wilt Chamberlain’s San Francisco Warriors in five games in 1964.

Eighty-three-year-old Tom “Satch” Sanders started every game of that series for the Celtics and has been watching the 2022 playoffs from his home in Charlton.

“There is no question about the connection we feel,” Sanders said this week. “Particularly when they have some success. Then you feel connected and you want to be connected.
                                                                                                                       
Sanders played 13 seasons for Boston, won eight championships, and later coached the team for general manager Red Auerbach. His No. 16 is in the Garden rafters, along with (among others) the numbers of Russell (6), Cousy (14), K.C. Jones (25), Larry Bird (33), and Cedric Maxwell (31).

Like millions of other fans, Sanders watched Sunday night’s postgame ceremony when Maxwell (1981 Finals MVP) presented the newly created Bob Cousy (conference championship) Trophy to Horford, and the equally new Larry Bird (conference finals MVP) Trophy to Tatum.

Perfect. Retired No. 31 passing baubles named after Nos. 14 and 33 to today’s Nos. 42 (Horford) and 0 (Tatum).

“What a meaningful moment,” said Cousy, who won six championships with the Celtics and was league MVP in 1957. “My old team is the first recipient of the Bob Cousy Trophy. To have set the table for this league and this sport and be part of that legacy is special.”

It’s always about history with the Celtics. The Celtics and Lakers are currently tied for most NBA championships (17 each) and this series gives Boston a chance to vault back on top. It’s the Celtics’ first trip to the Finals since losing a crushing Game 7 to the Lakers at the Staples Center in 2010.

Winners of 11 championships in 13 seasons with Russell, the Celtics have won but a single NBA crown (2008) since the Bird Celtics won their third and final flag in the near-perfect 1985-86 season (50-1 at home).

Danny Ainge, a starting guard on those ‘86 champs, assembled most of today’s roster with shrewd trading and drafting during his 18-year tenure as Auerbach’s ultimate successor. Coached by Brad Stevens, today’s Celtics made it to three conference finals in four seasons (2017-20), but seismic changes were needed after a mediocre (36-36) 2020-21 season ended with an ugly playoff loss to Kyrie Irving and the Nets. Ainge retired, Stevens moved upstairs to run basketball operations, and Udoka — a man with no NBA head coaching experience — was named the 18th coach of the Celtics.

Things started roughly for Udoka and he publicly called out his players a couple of times early in the season. In late January, the Celtics were under .500, ranked 11th in the conference, and on a path to miss the playoffs. Suddenly, they got healthy and adopted Udoka’s relentless defensive schemes. Since Jan. 23, they’ve been the best team in basketball, winning 40 of 53.

At the end of the regular season, the Celtics owned the best defensive metrics in the league, Tatum was named All-NBA starting five, and Smart was awarded Defensive Player of the Year.

“Marcus is the kind of guy you’d want to play with,” said Hall of Famer Sanders. “He reminds me of K.C., who had that kind of toughness. Of course, K.C. didn’t shoot that much. He made sure to get the ball to Sam Jones or John Havlicek.”

“If Marcus were playing for me, I don’t care what his ego is, I’d have him in the game,” said Cousy. “I would tell him not to shoot the 3-pointer, but I would have him on the floor, absolutely.”

The Celtics’ February-March surge carried over into the playoffs. They swept the dysfunctional Nets in April, won an elimination Game 6 on the road in Milwaukee before dethroning the defending champion Bucks in Game 7 of the conference semifinals, then won Game 7 of the conference finals in Miami Sunday. They are 7-2 on the road in the playoffs.

“This is indeed special, since it’s been some time since the last few championships for us,” said Sanders. “It was a long time between the 16th and 17th. But when you talk about the days of Russell and Cousy — as opposed to now — it’s much the same because the pressure was on for every game.

‘’I think we should win this series. We’ve got a better-balanced team.”

Sanders was drafted out of NYU by Auerbach 62 years ago … but when he talks about the new generation of Celtics, it’s still “we.”

Sweet.

Hi Steve,

Long time no speak.  Snark.


Bob
P.S.  After re-reading this I realize I should explain further because it could be taken wrongly.  I exchange emails every single day with Steve.  We speak on the phone regularly.



.

Me too, any insights or opinions Steve that you could share with the board? You know your gonna tell me anyway….

The two I will be most focused upon during this series will be Nia Long and Sonya Curry, or maybe Ayesha Curry.

Defense Wins Championships

So how are we doing so far?

GSW came into this series with an average of 114 PPG

Through 3 games they are averaging 105. Our defense is likely to get even better the longer the series goes on.

https://www.celticsblog.com/2022/6/9/23161693/updates-from-media-availability-on-thursday-boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-finals-game-3-4



Ime Udoka praises Celtics' response in Game 3, Steph Curry will play Game 4, and other updates from Thursday’s media availability


Boston readies for Golden State's best lunch tomorrow.   (MY NOTE: Proofreading, where is thy sting?  Unless they're talking about Ayesha Curry)


By Will Bjarnar@bywillbjarnar  

Jun 9, 2022, 5:01pm EDT



With just one day off between Games 3 and 4 of what so far has been a series that is both tightly contested and dominated by strong close-out runs from both sides, the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors updated the media on just about everything from injuries to enjoying the bright lights of the Playoffs. Read on for insight from Ime Udoka, Jaylen Brown, Steve Kerr, and more starting with news related to — *performs best Eddie Palladino impression* — YOURRRR BOSTONNNNNN CELTICSSSSSSSSS.

Ime Udoka is pleased with how the Celtics moved the ball in Game 3. And he has every reason to be.
Save the horrid third-quarter performances that have been coming at a pace unlike that of any champion in recent memory, Boston’s Achilles heel during this postseason run has undoubtedly been its inability to take care of the basketball. The Celtics have recorded 14.1 turnovers per game in these Playoffs, ninth in the field. That’s not too bad, all things considered. But there’s a significant disparity between how securely they safeguard the rock in wins (12.8/game) and in losses (16.7/game, third-worst in the field).

Celtics’ coach Ime Udoka knows how imperative it is that the Celtics take care of the ball. They had just 12 giveaways in Game 3. In doing so, they improved to 13-2 this season when they have fewer than 15 turnovers as a team.

Following the team’s huge bounce-back win in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead over the Warriors, he noted it as one of his biggest keys moving forward.

“My key is how we are moving the ball,” Udoka said at Thursday’s practice. “When we are playing the right way, you can see it.” In addition, he gave specific props to Jaylen Brown, to which they were undoubtedly due. Brown had just five assists, but his unselfishness down the stretch was huge. Udoka noted that Brown “did all a hell of a job last night” all around, praising his defense and his playmaking, in particular.


Boston recorded 28 assists in Game 3, their second-highest total of the series — 33 in Game 1, the team’s other win; sensing a trend?. It was just the second time they’ve hit that number since Game 1 of the Miami series. Udoka gave some flowers to a deserving Jaylen Brown. I’ll give my bouquet to Jayson Tatum, who led the Celtics with nine assists on the night. When Jayson Tatum has dished out seven or more dimes this season, the Celtics have gone 18-2, including 15 wins in a row.

Five players finished the night in double-figures offensively — Brown (27), Tatum (26), Marcus Smart, (24), Al Horford (11), and Grant Williams (10) — a stat indicative of just how streamlined Boston’s winning formula can be when the ball is being shared as though on a string.

The three aforementioned C’s with 20-plus points also had at least five rebounds and five assists, thus making them the first trio to each have 20 points, five boards, and five dimes in a Finals game since 1984 (Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Michael Cooper). That’s solid company, huh?


Jaylen Brown is pacing the Celtics, but he’s also enjoying the moment.


This time last season, the Boston Celtics were long-removed from their elimination from the postseason; they were throttled into submission by a Brooklyn Nets team people still seem to be convinced should and would have won the 2021 NBA title if Kevin Durant’s “big-ass foot” was just a smidge smaller than it is, aka the length of a grown Pterodactyl’s. In that series — well, all year, actually — Boston lacked defensive cohesion, discipline on either end, and talent that could match up with the three-headed monster of Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Despite the fact that two of those dudes were regularly unhealthy or unable to play given their fear of needles, one or one-and-a-half of them was enough to beat a Boston team that wanted to get the boot as soon as possible.

A big part of the reason for that? Jaylen Brown’s absence, which people seem to have forgotten about way too easily. He required surgery on a torn ligament in his wrist, and it sidelined him for their short-lived playoff run. So, naturally, he’s thrilled to be out there now, playing on the biggest stage of the time of year he most looks forward to.

“I was probably watching the playoffs somewhere,” Brown said earlier today, speaking of last year. “And it hurt. Having to watch my team play without me against Brooklyn, that hurt. Especially knowing I could help my team. The playoffs are my favorite time of year, so this run is so special.”


He’s had an up-and-down road to get to this point, but he’s made the most of his opportunities when called upon, and he appreciates Ime Udoka’s trust when it comes to taking on more responsibility as a playmaker. “It means a lot that he put that faith in me,” Brown said. Udoka added, “I think it was one of [Jaylen’s] best games of getting guys organized” and into their spots.

Brown also said he didn’t know much about the Celtics before getting drafted — a statement I absolutely never buy when a basketball player of NBA caliber says it about the team that drafted them; frankly, any athlete in any sport — but that “things worked out pretty good, I’d say.”

We’d say so, too.


A couple of other things from Celtics practice:

Ime Udoka on Boston’s size advantage: “We’re the bigger team. We want to impose our size in the series.”
Jayson Tatum was asked about Ime Udoka being even-keeled: “I don’t if y’all see it, but he cusses us out a lot!” — we see it, and we love it —” But he always had faith in us. Even when we were the 11-seed, Ime believed that we could be here.”
This, uh, drill...?


On the Golden State side of things, Steph Curry and Steve Kerr spoke about Curry’s ankle injury.

Early in the fourth quarter, Al Horford dove for a loose ball and inadvertently fell on top of Steph Curry’s left ankle — the same one he injured earlier this season when Marcus Smart dove for a loose ball and landed on his ankle, an unfortunate play that was deemed dirty not by Curry, but by far too many others. Following this play, Curry grimaced, lay on the court for a few minutes, and though he stayed in the game, it was clear that he was laboring. With 2:19 remaining, Steve Kerr pulled his starters, and Curry limped off. He later said that it felt similar to the injury involving Smart, but that he wouldn’t be missing time. Steve Kerr offered his own view today.

“I don’t have any real update. We only had a film session just now. But we expect him to play tomorrow.” The Warriors didn’t practice today, per Kerr, and instead treated Thursday as a recovery day. (Cue the man in the Patriots hat screaming “you’s guys ah sawft” from the seat behind yours at TD Garden in about 36 hours.)

Curry was adamant that no update would change his status for Game 4 on Thursday: “I’m gonna play. That’s all I know right now... Because I went through it, I know exactly what it is and what I need to do to deal with it. I’m good enough to play.” He was also asked whether or not, if this was a regular-season game, he’d sit out. “Hmm...that’s a good question,” he responded. “It depends on where we are at in the season. I don’t really know how to answer that, because the context matters.”

One thing’s for sure: he didn’t know how to answer that. Because that’s a bad answer. Expect Boston to attack his weak side even more now, particularly those that get him guarding them out beyond the arc. What sometimes might have been a pull-up could now become a drive-by layup. Just a thought.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Love Ime's comment about "moving the ball".  We see in the Comments From The Other Side thread how Dub fans are wondering why we're getting so many open shots.  It's because we're moving the ball and not just setting a screen for Curry or Thompson and that's good enough.  The author is right.  The answer by Curry about his ankle is a bad one.  They were posting him up all game Wednesday, look to see them running him off of screens tomorrow.  It might not help in the first half, because of the adrenaline, but with sitting at halftime and the 3rd quarter it might pay dividends.


.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10038262-celtics-have-had-an-answer-to-everything-2022-nba-playoffs-have-thrown-at-them

My Note:
Our playoff run is the sports equivalent of being battle tested/forged in fire.
Nets-preseason favorites, 2 dynamic scorers
Bucks- Defending champs, world’s best player
Heat- No. 1 seed, title winning coach, playoff Jimmy, 6 man OTY

Warriors
Nuggets- No Murray or MPJ
Grizzlies- Hardly any playoff experience,Ja Morant injury
Mavs- Living, breathing example of a one man team

willjr,

GSW have definitely tipped-toed through the 2022 NBA Playoff tulips.  Tonight it is time for Boston to separate the wheat from the chaff, the men from the boys.  We've already seen the thrills and spills of the first 3 rounds.  Time to put it all together and play a complete game ala G6 Finals 2008 or when MEM blew out GSW a couple of rounds back.  I know we're far better than MEM and certainly more capable.  No real need to drag this out with anymore additional drama.  Otherwise, it's business as usual and it's 2-2 heading back to San Fran.  Time to move the ball over the finish line.    

db

Both Curry and Klay will be compromised in their lateral movement on defense. Attack their weaknessess.

kdp59 wrote:wanted to pop in and say to enjoy the finals everyone!

its been a fun ride this year (except at the beginning of course).

kdp59

Wish you would pop in more often. As long as you have been rollin with the Celtics it would be fantastic if you can post with us.

Curry is so important to their team for a lot of reasons but one big reason that does not get enough attention is the lack of a BU point guard on their team.

Fortunately Kerr has not been playing Kominga. I worry about what he might do to us on the offensive boards and from beyond the arc.

worcester wrote:Fortunately Kerr has not been playing Kominga. I worry about what he might do to us on the offensive boards and from beyond the arc.

Kerr has gone with his more experience players in this series. Kuminga, their 19 year old rookie has barely played. Porter, Poole and Payton are in their top 8. Maybe Kuminga should change his name to Puminga

Both teams are using a shorter rotation. Boston is pretty much going 8 deep as is GS.

Just adding to the plot I said I wouldn't get into...

Trust the pattern.

We're coming back with a big W tonight. Strong defense and timely shooting.

Unfortunately we'll be dropping game six.

But don't worry, the pattern holds and we win it in game 7. Win it on the road to show we can get the job done anywhere.

There's my delayed contribution to the plot.

I have to agree with you NYCelt. Tonight's game is where everyone seems to think the Celtics pattern will be broken.

Stephen A made a great point again today about how Boston may be setting Curry up. For four games, Curry has pretty much had total freedom to roam, providing a false sense of security. The Celtics have not changed their defensive schemes from G1. And Curry has run rampant.

Then a miracle occurs and Boston changes up it's defense and Curry is trapped and can't make adjustments on the fly quickly enough and Boston wins the next two!!

Something like that! Basically, the chess match comes down to Kerr vs. Udoka for the last 3 games. Anyway, something to think about.

Bring it.

db

And the pattern may be broken tonight. It may be a case of who doesn't blink last. If we lose tonight our streak of winning after a loss is broken. But if we turn around and win the next two, GS streak is broken as well.

Who knows. I'm done guessing and predicting. Going to just try to enjoy these last games.

Yeah, good luck with that!!

db

dboss wrote:Curry is so important to their team for a lot of reasons but one big reason that does not get enough attention is the lack of a BU point guard on their team.

Curry is the reason they're tied. We'll, Curry and the 3 pt revolution. Curry ushered in and led that revolution, so they're not independent points. Steph is shooting nearly 50% from 3, taking 12ish 3s a game. That is insane. We might need to try something other than the drop coverage we've been using - it's letting Curry walk into open 3s, and that guy isn't going to miss many of those. We have some junkyard dog perimeter defenders, maybe we need to start making life difficult for Steph earlier in the clock. Of course what I'm saying is obvious to guys like Ime so I'm sure he's got his reasons (e g. Steph getting by our bigs). Just wonder if maybe we try something different - a little more blitzing these next couple of games???

Shamrock1000 wrote:

dboss wrote:Curry is so important to their team for a lot of reasons but one big reason that does not get enough attention is the lack of a BU point guard on their team.

Curry is the reason they're tied. We'll, Curry and the 3 pt revolution. Curry ushered in and led that revolution, so they're not independent points. Steph is shooting nearly 50% from 3, taking 12ish 3s a game. That is insane. We might need to try something other than the drop coverage we've been using - it's letting Curry walk into open 3s, and that guy isn't going to miss many of those. We have some junkyard dog perimeter defenders, maybe we need to start making life difficult for Steph earlier in the clock. Of course what I'm saying is obvious to guys like Ime so I'm sure he's got his reasons (e g. Steph getting by our bigs). Just wonder if maybe we try something different - a little more blitzing these next couple of games???

Rock

Curry is still getting too much space. Maybe Boston will blitz some. I think I would like it better if he passes.