Post-game Thread: Celtics-Heat at Boston

[Sam]

Another stirring comeback and intrigue about why Tayshaun Price didn't play couldn't break through the boredom barrier in this 83-75 loss to a Heat team missing both Dwayne Wade. The Garden crowd knows basketball; and, for much of the game, they followed the old adage that, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

Once again, the Celtics won the third quarter handily (28-17), but it was the only quarter they won. They scored 31 points in the first half and trailed by 13 at the half. Tyler Zeller, Brandon Bass, and Marcus Thornton could have been the only Celtics who displayed consistent energy throughout the game. Zeller (9) and Thornton (7) were the only Celtics to score more than Bass' 5 in the half.

The Heat shot only 42% in the first quarter, but the Celtics played "Can You Top This?" by shooting only 24%. The main reason why the game wasn't stopped because of a mercy rule after the first quarter was that the Celts had only one turnover in that quarter. (Of course, the Heat had only three.) Hassan Whiteside was in the DL a handful of games below, but he played a very consistent offensive game in this one, with 4-4-6-6 points and a game total of 20. But it was old nemesis, Chris Bosh, who led the Heat, with 8 points in the quarter.

In the second quarter, the Celtics improved their shooting to 42% for the second quarter. But they couldn't stand "prosperity" and created six turnovers in that quarter. And, by halftime, they were shooting 1-10 from beyond the arc. It's becoming rare that you see Marcus Thornton 1-4 from distance, but that was the case. At least Sully tried only two bombs in the half, perhaps because he didn't start the game as a disciplinary matter as he was five minutes late for today's walkthrough.

So much for intrigue: Brad Stevens just said that Tayshaun Prince told him just before the game that he (Tayshaun) was hurt and couldn't play. So perhaps conjecture about Tayshaun's possible exodus from Boston were premature.

As has become their style, the Celtics came out of the locker room with renewed energy. Bass 11, Crowder 9, Zeller 10, Bradley all 12, and Smart all 12. It's fair to say that those five guys came closest to displaying the most energy throughout the game. They tied the game at one point and finished the quarter only two points down. Avery paced them, with 10 in the quarter; Bass had 6, Crowder and Zeller had 3 apiece, and Smart had no points but handed out 4 assists and played very strong defense.

But the excitement among the Boston crowd was short-lived as Whiteside—with 6 quick points—once again propelled the Heat to a double-digit lead, and, while the Celts shaved some points off that lead, they still lost by 8. The te guys seemed to feel Bradley had a great game; but, in the fourth quarter, he was 1-5 (1-3 on threes) with 2 turnovers in his 7 minutes. Give him credit for courage though, as he had to leave the game for a while to have a sprained left hand wrapped. Who played the most minutes in the fourth? Zeller (11), Crowder (10), Bass (10), Bradley (7), Smart (7), Pressey (5).

Note the absence of Even Turner for 7 minutes of the third quarter and all of the fourth quarter. He's trying to play through a very bad left handl which is nice. But there could be no better time to go with "1" rotation of Smart and Pressey, at least until Even can return. Jae Crowder played 29 minutes, did his usual "beneath the radar" work, but took only two shots (making one three). Once again, he didn't get a lot of touches. Whether that's his fault or Brad's fault for sticking Jae in the corner a lot of the time, that's not enough production for a SF. Of course, the absence of Prince made the lack of scoring at that position more pronounced. But I'd like to see at least play run for Crowder by the end of the season.

For the game, the Celts collected 19 assists on 24 made field goals (a great 79%). There wasn’t a lot more to get excited about, although Zeller, Bass, Bradley and Thornton offered some nice moments.

For the game, Whiteside (20 and 9), Bosh (18 and 7), and Tyler Johnson (13 and 9) combined for 61% of Miami’s points and 54% of their rebounds.

Most unusual stat: The starters were actually less bad than the bench: -2 to -6.

Individual players:

Bass: Scoring more at the rim than via jumpers. One of the best finishers on the team. Stronger than Sully?
Crowder: Doing all the little things; defensive pest; needs more touches and greater effort to get him involved offensively
Zeller:17 and 6 today; one of his best games in a while; had defensive trouble against Bosh/Whiteside
Bradley: Started slowly (1-2 in the first), picked up (6-8 in the two middle quarters; fell off (1-5) in last period
Turner: Not a DNP but, in effect, did not play; 0-6 from the floor with 2 assists in 17 minutes; let him heal
Sullinger: Naughty late boy; played only 19 with 3-11 shooting and 3 (that’s 3) rebounds; pouting?
Wallace: nothing happened in 7 minutes
Pressey: Didn’t push the ball as much as usual; 1 point, 3 assists in 8 minutes; nothing scintillating
Young: 9 minutes; the obligatory 2 shots and 1 three; announcers asked why he didn’t play longer
Thornton: only 3-9; only 1-4 from distance; did nothing that spared the team.

Sam