1/19 vs DEN - Wait, it’s a home game?

[Light-Tower-Power]

I’m just done with the consternation after regular season games myself, and I’ve been plenty guilty of it in the past. Nothing from now til April matters other than health. Literally nothing. I will be here rage posting if they take another shit in the playoffs but until then let’s just enjoy the ride. This team is special.

 

[Ed Hillel]

I feel like this should get reposted every time we play a 1 possession game.

https://darrylblackport.com/posts/2020-09-16-nba-final-possession-shots/

Final shots usually look bad. Defenses lock in, especially after time outs. You’re playing to the clock. ISOs are usually your best bet, especially if you’ve got a decent matchup like Tatum did.

The mythical ATO that gets someone a wide open look doesn’t really exist. Otherwise you’d see every team running it.

It’s obviously because teams play for the last shot. I’m just not sure I want this team committed to giving it to Tatum every single game. He shot horribly all night, give KP the ball in the post once in a while.

 

[The Mort Report]

I feel like this should get reposted every time we play a 1 possession game.

https://darrylblackport.com/posts/2020-09-16-nba-final-possession-shots/

That wasn’t the exact situation, but you get the idea. Final shots usually look bad. Defenses lock in, especially after time outs. You’re playing to the clock. ISOs are usually your best bet, especially if you’ve got a decent matchup like Tatum did.

The mythical ATO that gets someone a wide open look doesn’t really exist. Otherwise you’d see every team running it.

THANK YOU. I was trying to find the best way to put this for a while, but having raw data to back it up is amazing. Scrambling, passing looking for a good shot with 10 seconds left can easily result in no shot, and a bad shot is better than none

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Am I crazy or was that not a bad look? I mean the actual shot wasn’t close at all but it seemed like a decent look

Didn't JT fumble the ball on the pass? Can see how that would affect his rhythm.

I thought they actually executed really, really well down the stretch and just didn’t make some open shots. Shit happens. They didn’t turn the ball over, they didn’t take bad shots, they just didn’t hit their open looks. Still not sure about Joe’s ATO plays but they still have a lot of time to work on it.

Agree that they got pretty good looks down the stretch. Thought at least one of DW's 3Ps was going in.

Also, if JT didn't fumble the ball on the break, he easily scores the layup. JT seemed to mishandle the ball a few times, which is unusual.

As for ATO, I heard on some podcast that the Cs have been pretty highly ranked the last couple of years - I think #1 last year in piints per ATO and top 3 this year (I don't have actual stats).

 

[TripleOT]

Boston scored 32 points in the first quarter, and only 39 points in the second half. Brutal third quarter offensively, and hideous fourth quarter, scoring only two points in the final 4:50, missing four three pointers, four two pointer, two FTs, and converting one layup.

 

[LesterFan]

Jokic and Murray were amazing but even if the offense was just bad in the 2nd half they probably win. Instead it was absolutely horrific. They went up 9 in the 3rd then didn't score the final 3:20 of the quarter. Then only 2 points in the final 4:50 of the 4th.

 

[The Mort Report]

I’m just done with the consternation after regular season games myself, and I’ve been plenty guilty of it in the past. Nothing from now til April matters other than health. Literally nothing. I will be here rage posting if they take another shit in the playoffs but until then let’s just enjoy the ride. This team is special.

Right there with you. Loses matter, they are learning experiences. From here on out if the top 6 is healthy when the playoffs roll around then that is the best success I can ask for

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

I feel like this should get reposted every time we play a 1 possession game.

https://darrylblackport.com/posts/2020-09-16-nba-final-possession-shots/

That wasn’t the exact situation, but you get the idea. Final shots usually look bad. Defenses lock in, especially after time outs. You’re playing to the clock. ISOs are usually your best bet, especially if you’ve got a decent matchup like Tatum did.

The mythical ATO that gets someone a wide open look doesn’t exist. Otherwise you’d see every team running it.

I think we were spoiled by IT’s insane run where he was drilling every late shot for seemingly a whole season.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Right there with you. Loses matter, they are learning experiences. From here on out if the top 6 is healthy when the playoffs roll around then that is the best success I can ask for

I agree, with the caveat the 1 seed is obviously extremely important. With the schedule they have in March and April, in particular, I will have real questions about this team if they can’t get the top seed. And really, they ought to essentially be closing it out by the end of March.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

I feel like this should get reposted every time we play a 1 possession game.

https://darrylblackport.com/posts/2020-09-16-nba-final-possession-shots/

That wasn’t the exact situation, but you get the idea. Final shots usually look bad. Defenses lock in, especially after time outs. You’re playing to the clock. ISOs are usually your best bet, especially if you’ve got a decent matchup like Tatum did.

The mythical ATO that gets someone a wide open look doesn’t exist. Otherwise you’d see every team running it.

Yes, props on this post.

But I really wished they called the *timeout* when I was calling for it in my head so that they could get that open look!

In all seriousness, the beauty of league pass is that you get to compare how the C's execute relative to others around the NBA. Even if the stats didn't already tell you that they are amongst the best, the eye test would just about every evening. The Nuggets themselves have failed to execute down the stretch in games so the point is that it happens to all teams. Most of them aren't as good as Boston.

 

[TripleOT]

Good teams usually have to have extraordinary things happen to beat the Celtics, usually by a point or two. Tonight, Boston went 1-9 in the final 4:50, both Jays were bad, Murray had one of the best shooting games of any opponent this year, and Denver barely snuck away with a win.

On to Cincinnati.

 

[The Mort Report]

I agree, with the caveat the 1 seed is obviously extremely important. With the schedule they have in March and April, in particular, I will have real questions about this team if they can’t get the top seed. And really, they ought to essentially be closing it out by the end of March.

Yup, but as long as those guys stay remotely healthy I think they get there, yes it is important. That being said, I would trade a promise of health in the postseason for all 6 if it means we are the 4th seed in a heart beat

 

[lars10]

Did you actually read my post, bro?

Jesus.

My apologies I obviously completely misread it. Apologies again.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Celts only had 2 turnovers tonight. I like seeing that

 

[Ed Hillel]

My apologies I obviously completely misread it. Apologies again.

No problem man, the overwhelming negativity was hard to read so I understand your frustration.

 

[lars10]

No problem man, the overwhelming negativity was hard to read so I understand your frustration.

I think I probably read it the exact opposite way of how it was intended/worded after reading another post saying that this team just doesn't have 'it'.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Yes, props on this post.

But I really wished they called the *timeout* when I was calling for it in my head so that they could get that open look!

My issue isn’t that, it’s that the shot seems to repeatedly be a mid to long-range Tatum fadeaway without even trying to get the main defender switched. Try to pick Jokic off Zinger and run a post down low with a kickout if defenders collapse. They didn’t even appear to try much to get Tatum separation on the inbound tonight. There are no magic plays to get guys open, but there should be better than what we’ve seen this year imo.

 

[ifmanis5]

Perk with a really salient take-Mazzulla doesn’t get them easy buckets. JT/JB with 5 FTA.

Yes, I did enjoy that. But then he said if you took his brain out and put it into a little bird it would fly backwards and I got confused.

 

[benhogan]

Damn the Celtics only scored 2 points over the last 4:50 of the game

I blame Marcus Smart

 

[radsoxfan]

Kind of incredible we could have 2 TO and only score 100 points (not to mention 39 in the 2nd half!). Almost impossible.

Weird night all around, missed a ton of wide open shots, I guess just chalk it up to an odd night.

Unfortunately the Jays have had so many of these "odd nights", it's impossible not to be concerned about another Celtics flop on the horizon.

 

[Silverdude2167]

The Jays were 2 of 17 from 3. I just can't get that concerned about a 2 point loss to a top 3 team in the league when that happens.

We should probably be excited that they were 2 of 17 from 3 and were still in a position to win or take the game to overtime.

 

[Montana Fan]

Man, that was a good basketball game. Celts couldn’t buy a bucket down the stretch or they’d have won it.

Wonder who will ultimately put the clamps on Murray if they meet in the post season. He was fire and I couldn’t help but think the Celts didn’t want to show everything in their arsenal to defend him.

Brad and Joe got a lot of good tape on the Nuggets. I’m begging for a Nuggets-Celtics finals!

 

[lars10]

Kind of incredible we could have 2 TO and only score 100 points (not to mention 39 in the 2nd half!). Almost impossible.

Weird night all around, missed a ton of wide open shots, I guess just chalk it up to an odd night.

Unfortunately the Jays have had so many of these "odd nights", it's impossible not to be concerned about another Celtics flop on the horizon.

Yeah if you ignore the numbers and all the nights they don’t have odd nights I guess you can get to ‘many’.

 

[bigq]

The Jays were 2 of 17 from 3. I just can't get that concerned about a 2 point loss to a top 3 team in the league when that happens.

We should probably be excited that they were 2 of 17 from 3 and were still in a position to win or take the game to overtime.

This is where I'm at. Losing a game by 2 points to last year's champion when JB and JT go a combined 15-43 from the floor is not discouraging to me. The Celtics and Nuggets match up really well and I'd love to see them in a 7 game series. Watching KP and Jokic go at each other in the first quarter was wonderful. I wish the Celtics would have kept feeding KP. He pretty much disappeared in the 2nd half going 0-4.

 

[jmcc5400]

This is where I'm at. Losing a game by 2 points to last year's champion when JB and JT go a combined 15-43 from the floor is not discouraging to me. The Celtics and Nuggets match up really well and I'd love to see them in a 7 game series. Watching KP and Jokic go at each other in the first quarter was wonderful. I wish the Celtics would have kept feeding KP. He pretty much disappeared in the 2nd half going 0-4.

I think the Nuggets made adjustments that made Porzingis a lot less comfortable, pushing him out of his post-up spot a few feet and being physical with him. His looks weren’t nearly as clean and seemed rushed in the second half.

 

[bigq]

I think the Nuggets made adjustments that made Porzingis a lot less comfortable, pushing him out of his post-up spot a few feet and being physical with him. His looks weren’t nearly as clean and seemed rushed in the second half.

No doubt something changed. In the 2nd half KP only took 4 shots and missed them all.

 

[LesterFan]

JT and JB played horribly and they only lost by 2, but the Celtics only committed TWO turnovers and points off turnovers was 17-2 in favor. They took care of the ball almost perfectly and still lost. While it's unlikely JT and JB will shoot this poorly, it's just as unlikely they'll only commit 2 turnovers. For reference, they had averaged ~13 turnovers in their 9 losses prior to last night.

And oh, this game was at home. Playing at altitude in Denver is a different animal.

 

[radsoxfan]

Yeah if you ignore the numbers and all the nights they don’t have odd nights I guess you can get to ‘many’.

I meant in these big, playoff type games. Not in general.

I still am on board with the plan and think they will eventually win a title... but its impossible not to at least acknowledge they have had a lot of bad games in big moments.

Last night was just regular season but did have a playoff atmosphere for sure, and it didn't work out for them yet again. Maybe/hopefully just another blip. But it's something we have seen a lot considering they are nearly always the favorite to win.

 

[Deathofthebambino]

This thread is laughable. One of the worst of the year.

Tatum and Brown went a combined 15/43 and 2-18 from deep and it took a Herculean effort from Jokic and Murray to win by 2.

I just read through this thread.

This is the most accurate take. Glad I wasn't reading it during the game. The Cs couldn't hit shit, they played pretty great defense, had like 2 turnovers. They were even getting good looks. Just couldn't make anything. Mama said there'd be days like this.