Celtics vs. the Lebronaires
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Which group does Al Horford fit into? If he plays his normal game, last night becomes a coin flip. He sucked out loud last night and that was our biggest issue.
Cleveland is hell bent on taking him out of the equation. He’s being doubled on his first move every single time and they’re doing a good job sagging off the other guys and clogging the lane.
He’s clearly the closest to being a star, but offensively isn’t the kind of guy who’s going to shred double teams and win you a game 6 on the road vs LeBron.
He's what, 6'10", looks like 270 to me, handles the ball like a guard and moves like a RB. He is without a doubt the most powerful guy to play in the NBA since Shaq, only he gets a running start. Given the rules of basketball, yes he simply goes through everyone.
I'm assuming he goes off tomorrow like he did in IND. Hopefully the role players will revert to for.. I mean has Jeff Green ever played two big games in a row?
It would be nice for him to get a token charge or other offensive foul occasionally—the one where he trucked Brown in 4th quarter was egregious.
Yes, I know, as likely to happen as me being called in to ref game 7 but still a guy can hope
What?!!!
Jaylen was fantastic last night and arguably kept the Celtics in the game all by himself.
That's an insane comment.
This series is basically nothing more than trying to contain LeBron James. There's not much you can do when he is on, just hope the role players don't perform.
Him and Terry, anyway. Combined they went off for 55 points on 21/34 from the field, 8/13 from downtown. Celtics players not named Jaylen, Terry or Jayson (7/13) went 10/27 from the field.
JB is averaging 20.8 ppg in only 32 minutes against Cleveland on 47% shooting, 40% from three. There's only one player in the entire series outplaying him.
BTW, he's one of the few players whose FG% and 3FG% has gone up in the playoffs, which is remarkable for a young player, especially one cast in a main scorer role with two all star scorers on the sideline.
He is so strong he can casually, slowly gain ground off the dribble. But, even though it is not a collision it should be called an o foul.
Jaylen was excellent in the first quarter. Then he got the early sub instead of it being Tatum (understandable after game five). After that, they never really went back to him until later in the game. It kills me that the entire flow of the offense changes when the Marcuses enter the game. Maybe my eyes don't match the reality.
By the way, you know a guy is REALLY good when he seems invisible and yet scores 15 points (Tatum).
End of the day, we have a home game against a flawed team for a chance to go to the NBA Finals. Given how our season started, this is all we can ask for and probably more. They’re going to play a good game tomorrow and LeBron will need to play a very, very good game for Cavs to win. He’s certainly capable of it but the place will be fired up.
Marcus has his right thumb taped in this video. Did he have an injury I'm forgetting about? This must have been shot pre-season because Hayward is in there.
Maybe not quite the right place to ask this .... I will be in NYC all weekend and (despite my Friday afternoon hopes) will need to watching NBA basketball on Sunday night. Can anyone suggest a celtics/bostonSports bar in midtown Manhattanish?
Tir Na Nog is the usual suggestion. I'll be at Dive Bar at 95th and Amsterdam, 2 express stops from times square. @Lose Remerswaal may join.
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Two that I can remember in game 4 alone. And the Celtics in general have been trying to make Korver look like the second coming of Michael Cooper.
Is there an explanation for all the turnovers? Just sloppy play, or something Cleveland is doing...
Also, the team is not going to suck at the foul line again (assuming they actually get the fouls called)
Also, the team is not going to suck at the foul line again (assuming they actually get the fouls called)
Young team on the road in a close out game on the road against Lebron with chance to go to the NBA Finals?
The few times that I caught Baynes guarding Lebron it was en route to an easy path to the basket.
Sometimes you just have to acknowledge your opponent's strengths and just play your best option, however he is performing.
To add to what Devizier said, I've been impressed by the way Morris guards Lebron. He gets down low, he gets physical, he can match Lebron body bump for body bump. I can't think of when I've seen Lebron burn him and leave him flat-footed. On offense, he makes you smack your forehead sometimes, but on defense at least, he seems pretty solid to me.
... maybe I will wander up to 95th
One last appeal for people to read the Danny Chau article on the last Warriors Rockets game. We are not related nor do I get anything for click-throughs. It does, however, explain to people watching what is really going on in these games rather than "player x isn't trying hard or is getting owned by player y" analysis.
The bottom line is that all these guys are trying their hardest to make plays. The problem, for all four remaining teams, is that there is no mystery left. Cleveland's entire team knows by heart where on the block Horford likes to catch the ball, what moves he likes to use to get the ball up to the rim and what his first, second and third options are when looking to kick the ball out in the event that he cannot take the shot himself due to doubling etc. So they will make sure he cannot get to the spot where he wants to catch the ball and failing that, they will double him if they sense he is going to try an up/under move. And they will know and anticipate the passing lanes he tends to utilize. This is true for all of the other players in both series too and younger, more limited and inexperienced guys (like Tatum) will feel this the most. Hell, even guys like Durant are successfully defended using this approach.
Its here where having a guy like LeBron can be the true delta. As has been noted upthread, he can get to the cup whenever he wants or needs to. It costs him in terms of punishment and exertion. But he can do it. And its here where the C's miss having a playmaker like Kyrie too.
However even for guys like him or Durant or Curry or Harden, the cumulative impact of the defensive intensity, high leverage minutes on both ends of the floor and the lost element of surprise can stifle their games. In other words, these guys don't choke or suck - its more that the other team is simply effective at taking away their respective games. IMHO, "Do better" isn't really the answer here even if we all feel that way watching the games.
The bottom line is that all these guys are trying their hardest to make plays. The problem, for all four remaining teams, is that there is no mystery left. Cleveland's entire team knows by heart where on the block Horford likes to catch the ball, what moves he likes to use to get the ball up to the rim and what his first, second and third options are when looking to kick the ball out in the event that he cannot take the shot himself due to doubling etc. So they will make sure he cannot get to the spot where he wants to catch the ball and failing that, they will double him if they sense he is going to try an up/under move. And they will know and anticipate the passing lanes he tends to utilize. This is true for all of the other players in both series too and younger, more limited and inexperienced guys (like Tatum) will feel this the most. Hell, even guys like Durant are successfully defended using this approach.
Its here where having a guy like LeBron can be the true delta. As has been noted upthread, he can get to the cup whenever he wants or needs to. It costs him in terms of punishment and exertion. But he can do it. And its here where the C's miss having a playmaker like Kyrie too.
However even for guys like him or Durant or Curry or Harden, the cumulative impact of the defensive intensity, high leverage minutes on both ends of the floor and the lost element of surprise can stifle their games. In other words, these guys don't choke or suck - its more that the other team is simply effective at taking away their respective games. IMHO, "Do better" isn't really the answer here even if we all feel that way watching the games.
This is also possible. I admit to being a bit angry about the game last night and I see red re: everything LeBron at times. I think tho... things like 'the decision' and his complaining/flailing/diving on the court are a bit childish... but as I said I'm knowingly biased.
Then how do you watch the NBA? Flailing, flopping, diving, complaining is rampant.
The Tjerks article on attrition that is linked in your piece is also worth a read: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/5/24/17386458/warriors-rockets-rotations-wcf
the physicality of these conference finals games is pretty amazing.
Thank you - I meant to mention that article too (as a side note, with KOC, Tjarks, Chau, Haley O'Shaughnessy, Justin Verrier and Shea Serrano, its worth mentioning again how great the Ringer's NBA coverage is these days). So if you buy the arguments that Tjarks and Chau are making - and I clearly do - these games simply boil down to guys making plays in the face of intense pressure and its not just mental. They are literally being moved out of their respective comfort zones and pushed to their physical limitations. It makes what LeBron did last night, and all playoffs long, as well as the outstanding performances of some of the other guys all the more staggering.
Don't know if anyone saw this article on ESPN on the Cav/Celts series, but I thought it was a good one. The five-person panel fielded some interesting questions including:
* Fact or fiction: Jaylen Brown and/or Jayson Tatum should be untouchable in future trade talks. (three panelists said fiction, but two said fact)
* Is this series more about the Celtics or more about the Cavs?
* 2. Rank these by which is most responsible for Cleveland's issues:
A. Roster construction
B. Coaching/strategy
C. Player performance
Then of course they were asked what percentage chance Cleveland had to win the series. Interestingly enough, two said 50%, and this was before game six.
* Fact or fiction: Jaylen Brown and/or Jayson Tatum should be untouchable in future trade talks. (three panelists said fiction, but two said fact)
* Is this series more about the Celtics or more about the Cavs?
* 2. Rank these by which is most responsible for Cleveland's issues:
A. Roster construction
B. Coaching/strategy
C. Player performance
Then of course they were asked what percentage chance Cleveland had to win the series. Interestingly enough, two said 50%, and this was before game six.
Anyone having trouble passing the time until tomorrow night?
(you can jump to 7'00" if you want to see the money shot)
(you can jump to 7'00" if you want to see the money shot)
Admittedly I watch less and less.. but with the Celtics being better recently I do like watching them.. and most of the players on the Cs don’t play that way.
The questions for tonight's game:
1. Do the Celtics show up and play the full 48? Much more likely given that they are on their home court.
2. Does Lebron have an extra gear beyond what he showed in game 6?
3. Is Tatum healthy?
Very winnable game for Boston. Games 4 and 6 in Cleveland were both games that the Celtics could have won, even on the road, with a cleaner and more consistent game from start to finish. Even with Lebron's heroics in game 6.
The home court should be enough to swing this, even if Lebron plays at the same level as he did in the last game.
1. Do the Celtics show up and play the full 48? Much more likely given that they are on their home court.
2. Does Lebron have an extra gear beyond what he showed in game 6?
3. Is Tatum healthy?
Very winnable game for Boston. Games 4 and 6 in Cleveland were both games that the Celtics could have won, even on the road, with a cleaner and more consistent game from start to finish. Even with Lebron's heroics in game 6.
The home court should be enough to swing this, even if Lebron plays at the same level as he did in the last game.
There was a time when that was true but he's cut a lot of that out of his game. Not to say he never does it, but he was embarrassing to watch at times earlier in his career.
This just isn’t true. And if he does it’s usually on D. On offense he doesn’t get the calls that Bron, Harden, Curry get (not that he ‘deserves’ to)
Marcus has toned it down a bit in the past year, but the highlight reels of his flops on D are long and funny. The guys you mentioned get star calls on offense, and whine when they don't get them, and embellish contact, but Marcus on D was next level in terms of going full soccer.
Zarba is a random foul generator and Davis is too but to a lesser degree. But given the alternatives, lovetgm is right. Its fine.
I agree he does it on D but there are a ton of guys that do it on both sides of the ball.. I just don’t think he’s close to top five but then again I’m currently having trouble thinking of a ton more currently in the league so maybe I’m wrong.. the one thing I’d say is that Marcus doesn’t play nearly the amount of time others do.. so maybe on a flip per minute he’s the worst.. vs number of flops.