Post Game - Celtics vs. Miami Heat - Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - Game 2 Eastern Quarterfinals (L 1-1)

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401655100

Didn’t like the lack of intensity from the very beginning of the game.

Expect that the Celts will be more physical in the next game. We did not compete today.

hawksnestbeach wrote:If Queta doesn't play, the Celtics lose this series. The C's could still start Porzingas at forward, but a real center, rim protector, basket stuffer is needed immediately and there's only one on the team. hawk

I agree that we need a more physical inside presence and Queta is the only one available. That being said, I expect they’ll make the adjustment to give him minutes, but I don’t know that they go as far as starting him. I’m with you that I would like to see it though, in a two-big lineup.

We’ve known from experience that Porzingis is a liability against bigs like Adebayo, so that adjustment makes sense. Although last night neither one of them could grab offensive boards. The other adjustment would be to extend the defense and stop being so soft on the pickup points. They can shoot and we were too willing to let them. Of course, that’s where you need a presence in the paint, so they don’t drive open lanes or kill you with a baseline cutter.

Miami is more than Jimmy Butler. Much more. We will have to toughen up and tighten up to have a chance to move on in six.

Hi,
It's hard to do anything when your opponent shoots 53.5% from 3 (23-43). On the Celtics side, you can't allow about half (my eye test) of those 3s to be completely open, unchallenged.
Overall, Celtics execution wasn't crisp, 100%. On the MIA's side - they left everything on the floor.
My hope is this is a once in a life-time combination.

AK

They beat us at our own game.  As pointed out a lot of those 3s were wide open.  Caleb Martin was 5-6 from 3.  He shot 34.9% from 3 this season.  Leaving him open isn't smart, but he is a player you want taking 3s.  What I'm finding interesting, as I look at the individual shot charts, is:

1.  28 of Miami's 43 3pt ftas were taken by their starters and;
2.  they shot 17-28 from 3, 60.7% and;
3.  11 of those 17 3pt fgm were from the same spot, left side above the break.  

There were some corner 3s, of course, and one or two from the right side above the break but > 50% of their 3pt fgm by starters were from the same place.  That's coaching.  That's running plays that create open shots at the same place for different players because they're interchanging who does what on the play but the eventual shooter is wide-open in the same place.  Coaching is, also, figuring that out and changing what you're doing to stop that.

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
about 17 minutes ago
Joe Mazzulla on Heat's 3-point shooting in Game 2: “I thought most of those were moderately to heavily contested."

Uh, no, Joe, you're wrong.  

Chris Forsberg @ChrisForsberg_
about 2 hours ago
NBA tracking on Miami 3-point attempts in Game 2: Very tight defense (0-2 feet): 1-1 Tight defense (2-4 feet): 1-5 Open (4-6 feet): 6-14 Wide open (6+ feet): 15-23 Tracking had Celtics with 18 contests on 43 3s (41.8%). Boston’s season average was 17.6 on 36.7 3PTA (48%)


In fact, Joe, you were wrong on a basic premise, one which you expressed last Friday:

“Regardless of who you're playing, the playoffs is no different than the regular season,” Mazzulla said on Tuesday. “It comes down to the margins, the style and the system in which we play. That's really what it is.

Last night should wake you up to the fact that playoffs aren't the same as regular season, and the faster you realize that the faster you'll start making changes to your game plan mid-game. You can't play the same way in the playoffs as the regular season, and you can't coach the same way. Championship coach Eric Spoelstra knows that already and proved it by switching everything up yesterday.


Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
yesterday
Jrue Holiday said the #Celtics hedged away from certain #Heat players and that you have to adjust when they’re hitting. Added that Boston will stay solid on its game plan in G3, whatever that is.

So, Jrue is saying what I'm saying.  They were playing a defense that fell away from some Heat players and they didn't adjust when those players were hotter than pre-game planning expected them to be.  In-game coaching.  Joe waited for them to start missing and they didn't.  


Can't blame it all on getting outcoached, though.

Nobody helped the Js.  Nobody showed up except them.  Z with the worst game I've ever seen him play.  1-9, 0-4 from 3.  Bam was 9-13.

Jrue was 4-12.  He was 1-4 from 3, meaning he was 3-9 from 2.  That can't all be good defense.  He played in 7 playoff series with Milwaukee.  He shot 40% or less in 4 of them.  He's shooting 30% so far in his first playoff series for us vs Miami.  I realize we're not asking him to be a major scorer like when he was the 3rd scorer on the Bucks, but 30%?

Payton played 20 minutes and took zero fgas.  With all due respect to the Js if Payton doesn't take any shots we're going to struggle to win.  He has to shoot.  The difference between Aggressive Payton and Passive Facilitator Payton is HUGE.

This is why it was so important to get home court advantage throughout the playoffs.  We were an excellent road team during the season, the best in the league @ 27-14, but that didn't mean we weren't going to lose at home, ever.  It meant that we would have the opportunity to win a 6th or 7th game @ home.  Ok, that's where we are now.  We played 3 games vs Miami during the season, two of them were in Miami.  We won both.  Time to do it again, maybe even twice just to make sure the point is made.


We've all been blowing hot-and-cold all year about these Celtics' mind and maturity level. We've worried about how, when the shots are dropping and they're way up they're all happy and in a groove, but when things aren't going well that goes to their heads too. Time to get up off our knees and start punching again.


Bob


.

And  just like that, the Celtics crapped away their home court advantage.

Erik Spoelstra is clearly the best of the best.  He fully understands that you cannot let the Celtics win the 3 point shooting contest and expect to win.  However, going 23/43 is way over the top.   The Celtics were caught off guard and did not adjust to the way the Heat were playing.

Not only did the Heat outshoot them, but they also managed to control the pace of the game.  We played their game and they played ours.

The meat of the Celtics offense came from Jayson and Jaylen who combined for 61 points (60% of our total points)  KP really struggled on offense while shooting 1-9.  He was discombobulated when the Heat took away his post presence with physicality and he also struggled shooting from deep (0-4).

For the life of me I do not understand why D White does not get more shots.  He  was 5-8 and 2-4 from deep and continues to be one of our most efficient scorers.  Hey Joe how about running a few plays specifically for DW?

I do not know if anyone noticed but CJ changed his rotation patterns.  He brough AH in the game to pair with KP instead of bringing him in to replace KP.  The Heat play small ball so a 2-big lineup is not going to work.  Usually SH and PP come in to the game together.  The Celtics were not struggling on the glass so why did we need another big when our obvious issue was defending on the perimeter and off the bounce.

PP played 20 minute and had zero FGA.  He tried to push the ball but no one was keeping pace with him.

The Celtics played as though they were surprised.  When the Heat were killing it from deep, the Celtics played lazy perimeter defense.  Sort of like, "I bet you cannot make another one."

Overall I thought CJ got outcoached and our players got outplayed.

The Celtics are not going to win this year playing an 8 man rotation.  Too many DNP-COACH'S DECISION.

I think that we could use Jayden Springer as an on the ball defender and a guy who can press them end to end.  We need to bring some muscle to the fight.  Tillman or Queta can at least give hard fouls against Bam.  

CJ need to wake up and use his center depth.  We should not be playing soft against those guys and we need our coach to make certain that does not happen again.

A lot of good points have already been made by the astute members of the board so I will try not repeat.

I don't totally disagree with CJ's assessment that Miami's threes were moderately to well contested. We had some good contests and they made the shot anyway. There were definitely some that were open, but in the course of a game an NBA team will get some open looks. This Caleb Martin drives me crazy. He shoots threes at 32% in the playoffs against other teams, but 48% against us. His form is horrible. I just don't get it. Hopefully things will even out.

Bam also hit some tough shots. Al had good D on him a few times and he made the shot anyway. One time he throws in a runner. He was 9-12 from the two point range (75%). He is a problem. I agree putting Tillman or Queta on him some maybe a good idea.

Their shooting was just off the charts and they used the shot clock, so it didn't allow us to get into any transition game. This really hurt our offense so we never got into our usual offensive game.

Let's face it Porzingis was horrible on both ends of the floor. If plays even 50% of his normal game we may still win this game. He let Miami push him around and he just couldn't buy a basket even when he had a decent look. Bam maybe too skilled for him to guard. This is a big problem. I think Miami won't shoot like this again (at least I hope not), but the Bam problem isn't going away. We have to guard the Herro/Bam pick and roll better.

I am hopeful the coaching staff makes the necessary adjustments.

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2024/04/joe-mazzulla-gives-bizarre-assessment-of-celtics-game-2-defense-vs-heat.html



Joe Mazzulla gives bizarre assessment of Celtics Game 2 defense vs. Heat


Updated: Apr. 25, 2024, 12:54 a.m.|Published: Apr. 24, 2024, 11:43 p.m.


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com


The Heat made history in Game 2 on Wednesday night, erupting for a postseason franchise record 23 3-point makes in a 111-101 upset win over the Celtics to even the series at 1-1. The bombardment came from a diverse cast for the undermanned Heat with six different players knocking down multiple 3s as the team shot a scorching-hot 53.5 percent from 3-point range.

The move to fire away from deep should not come as a surprising choice. Without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, Miami lacks reliable creators and attackers at the rim outside of Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. The team was going to need to roll the dice from beyond the arc to give themselves a chance. Their hot start put added pressure on a Celtics offense that struggled to keep pace and got little help all night beyond their two All-Stars.


Yet the assessment of Miami’s steellar shooting after the game led to a bizarre evaluation by Mazzulla of his team’s role defensively in the outburst.


“Defensively, obviously they made a conscious effort with free reign to shoot more,” Mazzulla said. “I thought most of those were moderately to heavily contested, so we’re going to have to make the adjustment on some of those.”


That assessment stood in contrast to a couple of Celtics players after the defeat as Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday acknowledged the Celtics were willing to let most Heat shooters fire away.

“They were making shots, guys that we want shooting the ball were hitting them,” Brown said. “Seemingly couldn’t get them to miss. Credit to those guys.”

Holiday was more candid about Boston’s tactics right out of the gate.

“I think just starting off, the guys that we wanted to shoot, not that we let them, but it wasn’t like a get out to them and put it on the ground,” Holiday said. It was kind of like protect the basket but still get a close-out, but they started knocking them in. We know Martin can shoot, but they had guys out there that were knocking in everything, even Jaime Jaquez just knocking it in.”

Miami’s hot shooting night should have had a familiar feel for the Celtics as Game 2 proved to be the fourth time in the last two postseasons that the Heat shot 50 percent or better from 3-point range.


A video review of Miami’s made 3s indicates that Mazzulla’s assertions are dubious. There were maybe 10 total contests of those 23 3-point field goals by the Heat and that’s having a generous threshold for what this author considers to be a contested shot. Boston moderately or heavily contested perhaps a handful of those makes. The rest? The Celtics were inviting wide-open looks. A few came on defensive breakdowns via rotations (another area Boston had to clean up) but the Celtics gameplan here was clear and failed.

Mazzulla’s late-game tactics were also questionable. The team threw an extra body at the Herro/Adebayo pick-and-roll and left wide-open hot shooters (Haywood Highsmith, Caleb Martin) with the game on the line with ugly results. Closing the game out with Kristaps Porzingis (-32) over Al Horford (+ invites debate as well since Horford was the superior defender on this night.

Ultimately, there is nothing here that the Celtics can’t clean up going into Game 3. Yet, Mazzulla’s gameplan opened the door for the Heat to fully lean into their high 3-point shooting volume. Miami’s drivers shouldn’t share the Celtics more than their ability to hit the 3-ball in this series. While Jaquez and Martin shot over their heads in Game 2, they did so on wide-open looks. Meanwhile, Boston did a horrific job respecting a host of 40 percent 3-point shooters (Herro, Highsmith, Jovic) and was punished accordingly.


The pressure is on Mazzulla and the Celtics to respond on this front in Game 3 to retake command.

“I think we’ve gotta be more creative,” Tatum said. “The playoffs are about making adjustments game to game, and they did that...They’re supposed to try to mess things a little up, and make it a little bit tougher. So it’s our job to react in real time, as well as make our adjustments going from game to game.”


Bob
MY NOTE:  “I think we’ve gotta be more creative,” Tatum said. “The playoffs are about making adjustments game to game, and they did that...They’re supposed to try to mess things a little up, and make it a little bit tougher. So it’s our job to react in real time, as well as make our adjustments going from game to game.” And not just game-to-game but within the game too, when you see the adjustments they've made.  As Tatum said, you have to react "real time". That reaction shouldn't just be from the players on the floor.  You cannot just stick with the adjustments you worked on on the day off in a vacuum.  Seems obvious to me.  Maybe not to everybody.  



.

I was so disappointed in that game last night. Jaylen took a while to get untracked and Jayson did alot, but, that was the worst game KP has played for us. Why or why were they not looking to get White involved more??? He was active all over the place. Jrue struggled also. I refuse to accept this as ho hum, we will win down there. How dare they lose and give up home court that they fought for???? Wake up, this could be a short season if you do not. I will sit back and wait for Saturday, but they now feel they have your number boys. Time to change things up Joe and put the screws to this team big time

I love this forum. I’ve been a Celtics fan since my dad brought me to first game at the Garden in 1963. When i come here, though, I get to see how much I don’t know about the game I love. And I’m grateful for all of it.
What to do about Bam? What to do about the barrage of 3’s? What to do about the lack of adjustments within the game? (Especially on D but also about setting the table for PP and DW to fire at Will)
After Bam saw some Horford-contested shots drop, his grin said “I can hit any shot i take”.
The same,, i thought, with the guys we “hoped” would take the 3’s. Once they hit a couple, even close contests didn’t seem to matter. They thought the next one was going in too.

It didn’t take long before the whole team Believed they could take us. Spo had told them (aka “coached” them) - “Just execute THIS and you can win. - You Will win!” His game plan was X’s and O’s, but more - it said he believed in them. I thought they played way over their heads because: they tore around like demons possessed; we sagged; bunch of underdogs hit a few; “we’ll show them” caught fire.

I thought they’d fade after the break. The first 5 minutes of the 2nd half were Key. But we didn’t change anything up to start the 3rd Q. “Still no one guarding the henhouse, huh?”

I’m not posting because I have anything to say that you haven’t already thought of. No new wrinkles.
I’m just posting because I’m like you - I’m passionate about our team.

bigpygme wrote:
I’m not posting because I have anything to say that you haven’t already thought of. No new wrinkles.
I’m just posting because I’m like you - I’m passionate about our team.  

Sometimes we have a new wrinkle to add, sometimes we add our agreement.

As a valued long-time board member, we enjoy it when you post here and hope you continue to do so.

hawksnestbeach wrote:If Queta doesn't play, the Celtics lose this series. The C's could still start Porzingas at forward, but a real center, rim protector, basket stuffer is needed immediately and there's only one on the team. hawk

What we need is for Porzingis to be prepared for more physicality and play with the effort needed. He can't be as soft as he was in Game 2.

They shot the lights out from 3s and we had Porzingis and Holiday putting up a forgettable game.

Looking forward to game 3. The Celts should be focused and methodical and squeeze the Heat out.

Sorry not to respond to G2 until now. Been out on the road with work and haven't had the chance. Everyone has said just about everything that needs to be said. Here's what I saw:

1. MIA Sucker Punch. It's like we've been down this road a 1,000 times with MIA and we never see it coming. We got sucker punched by the Erik Spo and the Grand Master All-Time Celtic Hater and Destroyer Pat Riley. I just don't get it.

2. "Go to the mirror, boy!" (Anyone? Anyone? Anyone know WHO quoted that?!!) MIA's game plan evolved into EXACTLY what we have been doing to other teams all season long. 3-bomb them with accuracy. What a GREAT, GREAT demoralizer. Gotta give MIA credit there.

3. We didn't play that badly. We can argue that 'til the cows come home. MIA turned the ball over a shoot-ton. We just couldn't capitalize. FT's?!!! Not too good for us. Don't even give Jaylen the ball to shoot his first two FT's. Just go to the scorers table and forfeit them. They just played better. MIA only won by 10 and were bombing the crapola out of us. We could have closed out better on a couple of threes but that's what good ball movement can do for you. Take a lesson and a glass of shut the hell up Boston.

4. dboss, this is what I was talking about with the home court. First two games. All it takes is one game like this and we are back on our heels, adding COMPLETELY unnecessary pressure to this highly anticipated run right out of the gate. Absolutely, 1000% avoidable. Two games in the the playoffs and we've giving home court away like it's candy. But maybe that's what this team needs.

5. ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING less than a gentleman's sweep by us is curtains. Sorry, folks. Hope you enjoyed the regular season because that's all you will get. I'll put my paycheck up on this one. Now how fast the curtains would come down would be the big question. We may still win this series. It will either go 5, 6 or 7 games. But don't expect a championship with lollygagging in the first round. Those are the facts. But having to deal AGAIN with MIA has to be taking its MENTAL toll. If we lose this series, then the NBA will FINALLY have something they have been looking for since its inception and all Boston's titles. A team in the NBA will have our number. We have LAL and PHI. If you do not think Boston has infiltrated both of those franchises psyche and aura to the point that they can't see straight by all our dominance over the years, go take a Psych 101 course. We sent Jerry West to the Funny Farm he was so bent out of shape by losing all those times at his expense. But nobody has Boston. MIA would go up 3-1 in HTH Series-ville vs. Boston. That's enough for a franchise to throw a huge wrecking ball into our fortress. At this point, I don't care if we win 3 games by 1 point each or by a 1,000. But it needs to be a steam roll from here on out. Period.

5. All Erik has done is tell this team of misfit toys that ALL we have to do is be ONE game better. That's it. Don't think about winning 4 games. Just be one game better. That's a much easier way to look at it. This MIA team will never win 4 games in a series. But they can easily be one game better. Now winning on our floor helps, but it's not the end. You're going to have to be willing to win two games on the road, maybe more. Clearly, they are capable. But it does help you to think just be one game better when you don't have home court.

6. We're going to find out everything we need to know in the first few minutes of G3 about the mental toughness of this team. Let's face some facts. This year's team with the additions of KP and JH is LIGHTYEAR's ahead of last year's team, yet somehow we are seeming to have similar results vs. the same team. That MIA team currently is a shell of last year's team we faced. And that team was and is mediocre at best for 82 games. It can't be our players. Our talent level is far superior to ANY team in the league. It's all upstairs between the ears. Both coaches are mental basketball geniuses. After Wednesday, I'll still give the edge to Erik.

7. If we come out and don't answer the bell tomorrow, ALL the doubt from last year's collapse comes in like a deluge, 2nd verse same as the first, (we gotta do this again and come up short again?!!) then the bear sleeping in the corner gets poked, the time-elapsed bomb Pat Riley has planted since he got to MIA all the way back to the 80's that any team I am in charge of is/will be better than the Boston. 2-1 vs. Boston in the 80's HTH and 2-1 vs. MIA HTH, that's 4-2. That's not a rivalry. That's domination on all fronts. We like to think we have a rivalry against PHI and LAL. That's not a rivalry. That's domination. Ask PHI or LAL is Boston vs. LAL or PHI is a rivalry. The best rivalry in all sports or at least one of the best rivalries has to be Duke and UNC-CH. Their record is 143-117 overall. UNC is 13 games over 130 games which is the 50/50 split. That's a rivalry. The Coach K years are even tighter. 50-50. That's a rivalry.

That's enough.

db

Db

You were right.

Somehow I believed things woulld be different.  My biggest concern is about CJ.

Any coach that claims that the regular season is the same as the playoffs may not be ready.