Game 0ne Playoff Thread

[cowens/oldschool]

I thought we got off to a great start, KO was outerworldly and his offense gave us a nice lead, then as game wore on noticed Cavs also have some decent perimeter defenders not named Lebron, they beat our strength which is perimeter defense and we couldn't stop their perimeter game. We obviously didn't rebound very well, hopefully Sully our load is ready for a bigger load. Cavs didn't exploit our weak rim protection as much as I had thought, we played hard, but never saw a young team of role players make a deep run,. Lost by 12 but it felt like 20 to me as I never felt we threatened them. Cavs defense is pretty good and we need all this passing and ball movement and teamwork to get a good look, and when it works its great.... they just need to get the ball in a few hands and watch or let their best players go one on one whenever they want. This game just played out the way we thought based on talent level.

[112288]

Stevens made 2 mistakes.  When Cleveland made a run, he should have inserted Wallace a lock down defender and a high energy guy who could of put a stop to Cleveland run and kept it close.

Second mistake, get some offense lift by bringing in Ditome off the bench for some scoring.

Other wise Celtics played hard but Cleveland had too many assets.

I also do not put a great deal of emphasis in that over played phase "playoff experience is good for this team.  First off, all these players have at one time been in many big games during their lives...be it high school, all star leagues, college etc.......so balanced by the players age at the time of that big game, that is your experience.  Second, half of the players on the Celtics will be gone by next year anyway.  My opinion, at this point in a players career, you have it or you don't............which makes making the playoffs for the Celtics a cruel act of fate. We are in no mans land.......we could have used one more good draft to get that young big who can grow with the team.  The last time we had a home grown beast of a center was Cowens and I am afraid will continue that way for a while.

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[steve3344]

Zeller, Bass and Olynyk in 60:38 of playing time grabbed a total of four rebounds. HUGE problem. Add Sullinger to the mix and it's 74:16 and only eight total rebounds between those four guys.

[steve3344]

Stevens made 2 mistakes.  When Cleveland made a run, he should have inserted Wallace a lock down defender and a high energy guy who could of put a stop to Cleveland run and kept it close.

Second mistake, get some offense lift by bringing in Ditome off the bench for some scoring.

Other wise Celtics played hard but Cleveland had too many assets.

I also do not put a great deal of emphasis in that over played phase "playoff experience is good for this team.  First off, all these players have at one time been in many big games during their lives...be it high school, all star leagues, college etc.......so balanced by the players age at the time of that big game, that is your experience.  Second, half of the players on the Celtics will be gone by next year anyway.  My opinion, at this point in a players career, you have it or you don't............which makes making the playoffs for the Celtics a cruel act of fate. We are in no mans land.......we could have used one more good draft to get that young big who can grow with the team.  The last time we had a home grown beast of a center was Cowens and I am afraid will continue that way for a while.

112288

Agree with your last paragraph completely.  This draft was critical for us and I would have loved a shot (even if it's only 4%) of getting a Top 3 pick in a draft where there are five or six (maybe even more) real impact players.  Or at least knowing we'd pick around 10th or 11th unless a team behind us with even less of a chance to move up jumped ahead and we dropped down one notch.  We're getting better slowly (as fast as a team can with no rim protection) and will probably also be a low level playoff team next year with, again, no shot at a high pick, meaning, unless Danny packages a bunch of our treasured picks into one much higher one, we are destined to be good but not ever great for a bunch of years to come.

[wide clyde]

If nothing else the Cs got beaten up physically in today's game especially in the third quarter when the officials really let Clleveland bump, push and shove on both offense and defense.

Yes, the Celtics are the smaller team height wise, but they need to get much more physical in game #2.

[112288]

Does not matter. We are not getting the calls this series. LBJ should have fouled out with all the hacking going on. But the NBA wants Cleveland through the playoffs not the Celtics.

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[cowens/oldschool]

steve 112288

Glad theres a few others that understand sometimes to take a step forward you need to take a step back first to get the job done right. This win one for the Gipper!! winning is the only thing that matters mentality leads to a team in over its head thats not ready to compete at this level and by taking a step back we can build better stronger and ultimately faster. Look at this team on paper, is that a team you want to go to war with? I want to give that team a makeover, more star impact pieces, we might have blown another shot at Mr Intimadator, unless Danny can pull some strings....a shot at a top 3 or 10 or 11 with still an ability to further make deals/trades with that scenario would have worked for me to build this team if it was up to me.

cow

[kdp59]

tanking is for Philly fans.

and its all they have.

[cowens/oldschool]

I didn't say we had to tank to the degree of Philly, the way Indy and Heat did it is fine.

[steve3344]

tanking is for Philly fans.

and its all they have.

I'm not talking about tanking. I'm saying I would have preferred being in the lottery this year and having that shot at a Top 3 pick as opposed to having our noses rubbed in it by Lebron and his buddies who we are clearly overmatched against when they actually care about the games. Now that they're in the playoffs I am rooting for them as hard as anyone but I want the big prize for us as soon as possible. And this will make it harder.

[cowens/oldschool]

If nothing else the Cs got beaten up physically in today's game especially in the third quarter when the officials really let Clleveland bump, push and shove on both offense and defense.

Yes, the Celtics are the smaller team height wise, but they need to get much more physical in game #2.

thats easier said than done, whos physical on our frontline? Bass is undersized, KO and Zeller nuff said. Our two most physical players are Sully and Crowder and Jerabko can make some hustle plays, Love, Thompson and Mozgov tower over us, and Lebron ain't exactly chopped liver.

[cowens/oldschool]

There was the Russell era with a great player in place Bob Cousy, there was the Cowens era with great HoF play by John Havlicek, there was the Bird era with HoF partners in crime in Parish and McHale, there was the KG-Pierce era....so whos our best player? the best player to carry this franchise to the next contending era isn't even on the team yet.

Funny and pathetic when I asked whos our best player before on other threads no one wanted to go there.

Playoffs....???? this team couldn't even hold the 02 Pierce-Walker team's jockstrap.

[cowens/oldschool]

tanking is for Philly fans.

and its all they have.

I'm not talking about tanking.  I'm saying I would have preferred being in the lottery this year and having that shot at a Top 3 pick as opposed to having our noses rubbed in it by Lebron and his buddies who we are clearly overmatched against when they actually care about the games.  Now that they're in the playoffs I am rooting for them as hard as anyone but I want the big prize for us as soon as possible.  And this will make it harder.  

imagine if Lakers or Heat or Thunder get a top 3 pick? could happen and I'm gonna feel like crap....

[swedeinestonia]

I am not so sure about this playoff experience thing. Like people have mentioned a lot of these players will be gone anyway and is 4-0 loss to the Cave by default better than not having played in the playoffs at all? I am not buying that it is per default always a positive thing and even if so I suspect it has limited value over talent. Lebron us not good because he has a lot of playoff experience, he has playoff experience because he is good. I would say the coaching staff is benefitting from it but for the players I think it is meh in the case of these players.

[kdp59]

tanking is for Philly fans.

and its all they have.

I'm not talking about tanking.  I'm saying I would have preferred being in the lottery this year and having that shot at a Top 3 pick as opposed to having our noses rubbed in it by Lebron and his buddies who we are clearly overmatched against when they actually care about the games.  Now that they're in the playoffs I am rooting for them as hard as anyone but I want the big prize for us as soon as possible.  And this will make it harder.  

I'm getting a bit weary with those that throw around "getting a chance at a top three pick" from the draft out there, in their defense of LOSING games.

IF we had lost two more games and not made the playoffs, we would have had the #12 pick in the "lottery" (instead of the #16 pick we have now)..NOT THE #3 pick.


now how about that "Chance" of having a top three picks, how well has that worked out for LOSING teams...lets see the FACTS not dreams.

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-draft-lottery-history/

since 2005 (when the NBA added the 30th team and the past 10 years) NO team below #9 moved up in the top three.

in fact this entire century no team has.

you have to back to 1999 when the OLD  Charlotte Hornets got the #3 pick to find a team that's got lucky that low.

so IF you want to argue that the team should have not pushed for the playoffs because the #12 pick  will be so much better than #16...OK. that's  fair discussion  or opinion I guess.

IF you want to pretend that somehow not making the playoffs would have given us a top 3 pick, you are just in fantasy land.

and I don't think either Miami or Indiana tanked to miss the playoffs to get that #12 pick either.

so you want to argue the Celtics were better off not making the playoffs, fine. but quit using a fantasy of some top 3 pick in next years draft as the reason.

[kdp59]

tanking is for Philly fans.

and its all they have.

I'm not talking about tanking.  I'm saying I would have preferred being in the lottery this year and having that shot at a Top 3 pick as opposed to having our noses rubbed in it by Lebron and his buddies who we are clearly overmatched against when they actually care about the games.  Now that they're in the playoffs I am rooting for them as hard as anyone but I want the big prize for us as soon as possible.  And this will make it harder.  

imagine if Lakers or Heat or Thunder get a top 3 pick? could happen and I'm gonna feel like crap....

the Lakers have the #4 pick (after a 21 win season) so they earned it.

why would it make you feel like crap if they move up one spot?

no team lower than #9 has moved into the top 3 since 1999. so why throw Okl or Miami as having any real chances to do it?

maybe you wanted Boston to get a top three pick in this draft, that's fair. But what you are saying is you wanted us to have another 25 win or less season.

we didn't......we're a better team than that now.

Maybe we get swept by the Cav's, maybe not its been one game.

you said in earlier posts, you like Turner in the draft. Even though I am not sold on how good Turner will be in the pros, I pointed out that Ainge has plenty of ammo to move up to get Turner in the 10-12 range (where he is likely to be picked). packaging the #16 & #28 picks alone should move us up to #12 or so. Add in one of our THREE first next year and we can be in the top 10.

I have pointed out that this CURRENT roster (after the trade deadline) went 20-11. That is a 53 win season over 82 games. some seem to feel we need a big roster overhaul to get that center we all feel we need. But I see a team that is already in the top half of the east now. so if we get ONE new player (said NBA starting center) we are a team that can compete for a title.

Perhaps I am wrong, perhaps Danny and Stevens will turn over half the current roster this off-season (as some have said will happen). I suppose the off-season will tell us that.

In the mean time, I will enjoy the hardnosed play and maybe even the over- achieving of this team now. I will laugh as the writers say how Cleveland would come out and blow us off the court early in game one (they didn't). I will yell when they officials call the game for the star players. I will cheer the Celtics as they keep fighting no matter the score.

Finally, I will understand that we lost to the best team in the east (since the all-star break) on THEIR court, with their "superior" talent ,with Bradley unable to hit a shot and Thomas turning the ball over more than normal, with Cleveland shooting over 40% from three and with Cleveland hitting TWO long threes at the end of the second and third quarters.

I'll take that for the first game.

maybe this team collapses now. maybe their collective spirit was broken that game. Time will tell, in the meantime...

what's the problem with winning?

[112288]

KDP

Miami now sits at #10.....guess who they are picking as per all the mock drafts.............Cauley Stein!

It is easier to swap up to # 7-9 when you are at 11 or 12.  Not #16 where the price may be too high!

At #16 we are picking Frank Kaminshy a clone of Zeller and KO.   If I am looking for soft I'll go to the nearest ice cream stand and order soft yogurt in a cup.........skip the cone please!

112288

[kdp59]

I guess it depends on the mock draft you're looking at but WCS is certainly not at #10 in "all mock drafts"

in fact I think come draft day WCS will be in the 5-8 range.

I do agree about Kaminsky being a cross between Kelly and Zeller...maybe we should call him Kelly Zeller from now on.

I would pass on Kaminsky myself and look at Poelti from Utah if he's on the board near when we pick.

it's a long time till draft day and a lot of players will move up or down the board till then.

my recent combined mock draft ranking are posted in the draft thread.

Cauley-Stein is 10 in Draftnet,6 at draftexpress and 8 at USA today mocks

M. Turner is 13, 12 and 10 respectively.

Kaminsky is 16, 10 and 14

Poelti is 23, 11 and 12

those are the four big men excluding Towns and Okafor in the fist round now.

[112288]

HOW ABOUT THESE 2 WHO PICK STEIN AT #10.

2015 Mock Draft | NBADraft.net
www.nbadraft.net/2015mock_draftCached
Apr 06, 2015 · Specializing in drafts with top players on the NBA horizon, player profiles, scouting reports, rankings and prospective international recruits.

NBA Draft Room: 2015 NBA Mock Draft
www.nbadraftroom.com/p/2015-nba-mock-draft.htmlCached
2015 Mock Draft with player profiles for all the top prospects. Complete coverage of the 2015 NBA Draft

My point is you can trade up at #11 or 12 to get him without giving up a kings ransom verses #16

112288

[sinus007]

Hi,
I'm really surprised. A few day ago majority of people here were gung-ho: we are in the payoffs, great achievement, it's much better than to be in the middle of the lottery crowd with a slim chance to get 1-3 pick which could turn out to be crap, after all.
Now, after the first loss to a team that everybody knew is much better than Celtics, a lot of folks are: well, we'd better stuck in lottery crowd, playoffs experience is nothing, etc.
Everyone entitle to one's own opinion. I'll stick to mine. It is a great achievement for Celtics to get into playoffs. The playoffs experience is invaluable. Sure, a lot of current players may not be in green next season but whoever remains will have that experience. Also, regardless of Danny's dealings Brad Stevens will be here next season and beyond and for him the playoffs experience even more important than for players.
Our team was fighting against a superior team. On top of that, as many suggested, even if we slow down (which we did) Lebron there's also KI. And, guess what, last night he happened to be in the groove: 5-9 from 3-pt all of them contested. It didn't help that Love played as if he's back in Minni. The refs didn't help either. Well, they did but the other team.
I didn't get it - why Zeller played only 15.5 min - was he that bad, ineffective?
Anyway, let's see what happens Tuesday.

AK

[112288]

Sinus,

In a sense you are correct in that it is a great achievement for the coaching staff in that it will help Danny sell the idea to Top Free Agents in the off season that any player signing will be under a coach that knows what they are doing.

However..........I'll take the top 10 this year verses 1 and done.

112288

[cowens/oldschool]

This isn't the NFL, theres a big difference between a top 10 pick and a 20th pick.

So kdp whos our best player? We have alot of draft picks, but right NOW were like in the dark ages, like before we drafted Pierce years ago....we don't have that franchise perennial all star to build around, to lead the next era. Three years from now, if we find that player, most of this roster will be gone or backups with us or other teams.

We made the playoffs because now teams rest players for whatever reasons, tanking or to get them ready for playoffs and the East is terrible, someone had to make the playoffs.

[cowens/oldschool]

Hi,
I'm really surprised. A few day ago majority of people here were gung-ho: we are in the payoffs, great achievement, it's much better than to be in the middle of the lottery crowd with a slim chance to get 1-3 pick which could turn out to be crap, after all.
Now, after the first loss to a team that everybody knew is much better than Celtics, a lot of folks are: well, we'd better stuck in lottery crowd, playoffs experience is nothing, etc.
Everyone entitle to one's own opinion. I'll stick to mine. It is a great achievement for Celtics to get into playoffs. The playoffs experience is invaluable. Sure, a lot of current players may not be in green next season but whoever remains will have that experience. Also, regardless of Danny's dealings Brad Stevens will be here next season and beyond and for him the playoffs experience even more important than for players.
Our team was fighting against a superior team. On top of that, as many suggested, even if we slow down (which we did) Lebron there's also KI. And, guess what, last night he happened to be in the groove: 5-9 from 3-pt all of them contested. It didn't help that Love played as if he's back in Minni. The refs didn't help either. Well, they did but the other team.
I didn't get it - why Zeller played only 15.5 min - was he that bad, ineffective?
Anyway, let's see what happens Tuesday.

AK

Z is soft, while I root for him, he has trouble rebounding and is not the physical presence needed to anchor a defense.

[beat]

tanking is for Philly fans.

and its all they have.

I'm not talking about tanking.  I'm saying I would have preferred being in the lottery this year and having that shot at a Top 3 pick as opposed to having our noses rubbed in it by Lebron and his buddies who we are clearly overmatched against when they actually care about the games.  Now that they're in the playoffs I am rooting for them as hard as anyone but I want the big prize for us as soon as possible.  And this will make it harder.  

I'm getting a bit weary with those that throw around "getting a chance at a top three pick" from the draft out there, in their defense of LOSING games.

IF we had lost two more games and not made the playoffs, we would have had the #12 pick in the "lottery" (instead of the #16 pick we have now)..NOT THE #3 pick.


now how about that "Chance" of having a top three picks, how well has that worked out for LOSING teams...lets see the FACTS not dreams.

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-draft-lottery-history/

since 2005 (when the NBA added the 30th team and the past 10 years) NO team below #9 moved up in the top three.

in fact this entire century no team has.

you have to back to 1999 when the OLD  Charlotte Hornets got the #3 pick to find a team that's got lucky that low.

so IF you want to argue that the team should have not pushed for the playoffs because the #12 pick  will be so much better than #16...OK. that's  fair discussion  or opinion I guess.

IF you want to pretend that somehow not making the playoffs would have given us a top 3 pick, you are just in fantasy land.

and I don't think either Miami or Indiana tanked to miss the playoffs to get that #12 pick either.

so you want to argue the Celtics were better off not making the playoffs, fine. but quit using a fantasy of some top 3 pick in next years draft as the reason.

KDP

I'm on board with you on this. Screw the lottery, so a few of these players on our team may not be here next year but I'm betting most will. So when does 1 player a drafted one at that, come in and put us over the top? We'll perhaps move up but might not. Might use some assets for an established star.....might not but we have multiple 1st round picks in the future that some will most likely become lottery picks.

I'm glad we made the playoffs. The entire Idea is to win every game isn't it?

As for yesterday, 2 early fouls on Bron were not called, sure looked like a missed goal tending against us too. Take away a couple quarter ending treys and we are right there score wise. We went on a 14-0 run as it was cutting it to 6, if we had gotten a couple of those aforementioned calls might not have been down 20 to begin with. Stevens will work to correct what we can correct but when a player goes off like Irving did good luck with that. Still think we can win a game maybe 2 but we can't make mistakes and have to shoot very well.

beat

[cowens/oldschool]

beat Lebron coasted yesterday, he only had 20 points, he wasn't in desperation put em away mode, how we gonna look when he goes for 35? They can amp it up more too, they didn't even attack our interior as much as they could have.

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