If we were going to pick a rotation player we could most afford to lose to injury in this series, I think it would've been Brogdon. Even over Grant, because Grant has a lot of defensive value vs Adebayo and is a lot more switchable.
I agree with this, and you certainly don’t play him through the injury. He’s been awful on both ends this series.If we were going to pick a rotation player we could most afford to lose to injury in this series, I think it would've been Brogdon. Even over Grant, because Grant has a lot of defensive value vs Adebayo and is a lot more switchable.
Well that's a good point, but I was just thinking emotionally they might a little fried. Regardless, LFG!I don’t understand how anyone thinks they would let down in a game 7 after seeing what happened against Milwaukee last year and Philly this year.
Brogdon currently getting amateur surgery in the training room and becoming a fascist.Zach Lowe said on his podcast that the Celtics have been watching "Four Days in October" video clips before each game.
So it's very much not just us making the comparison...
The Heat have the best deer antler spray.
22 seconds of among the purest highest quality Celtics porn you will ever see. Is it 8:30 yet?I assume some of you will want to watch this possession repeatedly, as I did when I first saw it live.
View: https://streamable.com/ctc9zh
Great article; Moorhead is one of the best out there.This is a great article written from the Heat perspective. He gives a breakdown of the adjustments and counter-adjustments made in the series with lots of good stats.
https://www.nba.com/heat/news/coup-working-crowd-celtics-becoming-heat
My favorite thing about that video might be that even if Tatum misses that 3, Jaylen is right there ready for an easy putback.I assume some of you will want to watch this possession repeatedly, as I did when I first saw it live.
View: https://streamable.com/ctc9zh
Interestingly, the lead dipped to 10 with maybe a little more than a minute? I know that’s hard to erase, but not impossible, and there was about 10 seconds where I was a little nervous given the personnel we had on the court.Something I haven't seen mentioned much is Spoelstra's decision to rest Bam and Jimmy for basically all of the 4th quarter in game 5. I think if a different coach does that it gets lots of second-guessing. (Related, I saw at least one article saying Vincent wanted to play in game 5 but they held him out because they had a 3-1 lead.)
Yes, they were down by 20, but how often have we seen runs of 9,10 or 12 points? Do that and it's just 3 or 4 possessions difference and all the pressure is on Boston. I mean, they dropped 45 in a quarter in game 1 as we remember. I don't think your best two players should take any quarters off in the eastern conference finals.
The benefit is that your two stars play 33 and 32 minutes instead of 40? Is that really going to make them much better-rested in game 6 48 hours later? I'm not a doctor but to me the chance you come back and have a shot to end the series, even if small, is worth more than the additional quarter of rest. You can still sit them with 3-4 left if it's no closer, like the Celtics did.
Considering how fast leads can vanish (double digit 4th quarter leads, and even 20 point leads in the second half feel unsafe), I've been watching games over the last few years with a basic assumption: A lead is safe if the team is up by at least 6 points per minute remaining, and they have the ball. Even if the team with the lead does nothing, they should be able to drain at least 40 seconds off the clock on offense, leaving just 20 seconds for the opposing team to hit two 3s (per minute). It's not impossible (if the leading team turns the ball over multiple times, or shoots and misses early in the shot clock), but this almost always seems to be the case.Interestingly, the lead dipped to 10 with maybe a little more than a minute? I know that’s hard to erase, but not impossible, and there was about 10 seconds where I was a little nervous given the personnel we had on the court.
I'd feel better about Jimmy looking off for the last few games if he hadn't done something similar last year. Games 3/4/5 last year, he averaged just 9 points and shot 25% from the field with just 6 total FTAs. Injuries were a factor here, but regardless of the reason, he looked awful (meaning the Heat were done). Then he put up 82 points in games 6 and 7, shooting .547 from the field and getting to the line 22 times. I don't know what happens tonight, but I feel like predicting Butler's performance based on his recent games doesn't give me as much hope as it should.I think you have to take into account the Heat's injury and depth issues
When Spo makes that call he knows he has 2 more chances with much higher probability coming up, he has no depth and doesn't know if Vincent will be back. Plus Jimmy looks tired and even a little tweak to Jimmy or Bam and the series is over.
Given how they looked odds of a comeback are low. Making sure you're in the best position to win Game 6 at home is probably the logical play.
Tatum's pass to Al is astonishing. And it came on the heels of another great pass, where he drove in to the lane and hooked a perfect pass back to Marcus for a wide open three. You can see glimpses of him getting even better. We're so lucky he's ours.I assume some of you will want to watch this possession repeatedly, as I did when I first saw it live.
View: https://streamable.com/ctc9zh
Getting him out of rhythm early is the key.I'd feel better about Jimmy looking off for the last few games if he hadn't done something similar last year. Games 3/4/5 last year, he averaged just 9 points and shot 25% from the field with just 6 total FTAs. Injuries were a factor here, but regardless of the reason, he looked awful (meaning the Heat were done). Then he put up 82 points in games 6 and 7, shooting .547 from the field and getting to the line 22 times. I don't know what happens tonight, but I feel like predicting Butler's performance based on his recent games doesn't give me as much hope as it should.
Great work. Like I said, 2 of 3 probably gets it back to Boston.Celtics are 29-3 all time in the postseason when they do all three of the above, including 4-1 this postseason, and did so in Game 4 this series. Game 4 last series to Philly was a loss in OT no less, which matters for a counting stat like turnovers.
-38.6% from 3, at 17 for 44.
-7 turnovers.
-76ers shot 46.2%, going 42 for 91.
When bad things happen it’s a choke? When good things happen it’s luck?Wow - what luck, after a horrendous near choke.
The good thing was good play... they did try very hard to choke that away, missed FTs, ran bad offense... fouled a guy taking a 3 when up 2.... it was pretty badWhen bad things happen it’s a choke? When good things happen it’s luck?
Meh, they played pretty well most of the game, they just bricked all their 3s. If they even shot a shitty 30% they'd have been up 20 and won by double figuresIf they play G7 like they played G6 they are going to lose by 20.
That was almost a choke. Robinson bricking 3s, us missing FTs, general bad offenseWhen bad things happen it’s a choke? When good things happen it’s luck?
so on brandWow - what luck, after a horrendous near choke.
It was two teams choking in different ways and we stumbled out on top. Onto the next one.That was almost a choke. Robinson bricking 3s, us missing FTs, general bad offense
But guess what? WE AINT DEAD YET!
Ok yeah they made some mistakes.That was almost a choke. Robinson bricking 3s, us missing FTs, general bad offense
But guess what? WE AINT DEAD YET!
I agree with that part. It was a choke in progress but a good play at the endOk yeah they made some mistakes.
But they also made a huge play with the chips down. A season saving play. Why dismiss that as lucky?
I thought they played great except for the end stretch. They need to keep loose and run their offense but the defensive energy was still there. The missed shots is just the shit you live with these days.Meh, they played pretty well most of the game, they just bricked all their 3s.
yeah, they did go into prevent a bit at the end but outside of that they played really well. Most impressive portion to me was when they got 7 straight fouls could have fallen apart, but instead blew it up to 10I thought they played great except for the end stretch. They need to keep loose and run their offense but the defensive energy was still there. The missed shots is just the shit you live with these days.
If anything that's under-selling it. That was a "Havlicek steals the ball!" level legendary play. It might not feel like it right now in the rush of a crazy game, but I promise you, its weight, its part in Celtics lore, will grow and grow. Derrick White likely will never do something bigger than that in his life. He may have just done the one thing, minutes ago, that 50 years from now he's still telling his grandkids about and they're pissed from hearing it for the 30th time. When they show the montage, of Kawhi's 4-bouncer shot, of Jordan On Ehlo, of Bird Steals It, Derrick White's tip-in to steal victory from the jaws of defeat will be on that highlight reel, emblazoned on NBA history. Mark my words, we just witnessed something historic.But they also made a huge play with the chips down. A season saving play. Why dismiss that as lucky?
If they win G7, Derrick White will be mentioned in the same sentence as Dave Roberts and Malcolm Butler.If anything that's under-selling it. That was a "Havlicek steals the ball!" level legendary play. It might not feel like it right now in the rush of a crazy game, but I promise you, its weight, its part in Celtics lore, will grow and grow. Derrick White likely will never do something bigger than that in his life. He may have just done the one thing, minutes ago, that 50 years from now he's still telling his grandkids about and they're pissed from hearing it for the 30th time. When they show the montage, of Kawhi's 4-bouncer shot, of Jordan On Ehlo, of Bird Steals It, Derrick White's tip-in to steal victory from the jaws of defeat will be on that highlight reel, emblazoned on NBA history. Mark my words, we just witnessed something historic.
... and that's not even considering that as a result, we still have the chance to be the first team to overturn an 0-3 deficit!