When did this team become so soft?

[LB3533]

Perk wasn't himself nor will he be himself at any point this year.

So even Perk's toughness aura ain't that great.

We didn't need Perks toughness aura at all earlier in the season.

[jdpapa3]

Better question: when did the team's fanbase get so soft? I see more positivity on the Buffalo Bills board that I frequent...it's unbelievable.

This team proved that it has an epic switch last year and our team is deeper/more talented this year. There should be excitement in the air...especially stemming from that Spurs game where you could tell our guys were locked in.

[LB3533]

Better question: when did the team's fanbase get so soft? I see more positivity on the Buffalo Bills board that I frequent...it's unbelievable.

This team proved that it has an epic switch last year and our team is deeper/more talented this year. There should be excitement in the air...especially stemming from that Spurs game where you could tell our guys were locked in.

Yes, all season long this team has had to deal with a revolving door of injured players...we still played well through out it all.

Only now we have recently hit a rough patch and people are going overboard.

It really hasn't been "father time" that has caught up with us.

What's caught up with us is the multitude of injuries and the playing time that has exhausted our MENTAL energies.

[slamtheking]

When did this team become soft?

They became soft when they found putting out less than a full effort in a game was acceptable and worse yet, that losing games to inferior teams was acceptable.

This seems to have begun after the Christmas game from last season when they coasted through the rest of the season instead of playing like the prior 2 years when their mentality was to win every game and play hard.

I'm not tossing in the towel on this team by any stretch of the imagination but I'm tired of this team not showing they know how to close out games for wins.  Championship teams do not constantly fade in the 4th quarter.  The C's even going back to the Toine and PP days pushed hard in the 4th quarter to beat teams.  These guys just haven't shown the killer instinct down the stretch for 2 years.  They can be awesome starting off games and coming back from a deficit in the 2nd or 3rd quarters but 4th quarters seem to be this team's achilles heel for the past 2 years.

[mmbaby]

When did we become soft? Good question. I don't remember the Celts ever being soft in the 3 years I've been a fan.

Until the latest trade named JO and Green. They are the only players I've ever seen on the team who refuse to sacrifice their bodies for their team. I can understand JO being so injured and hesitant, but still, if he wasn't going to be able to, he shouldn't have joined such a physical team. Green is a whole nother story and is irritating the heck out of me. He simply WON'T allow himself to be hacked...ever. Everyone else is out there getting all beat up and he is always outside looking in. He won't even go for a rebound because he might get bumped. He needs to get some fire and start fighting, or he's going to lose his place.

Hurt is not being soft. Our older players get injured more easily and that is causing some problems.

what a joke.
you're calling Jermaine Oneal soft? the guy had surgery for gods sake. Give him a break.
Soft? This is the same guy that pulled out a gun in a shootout to help his teammate Stephen Jackson in Indiana.
Sometimes the hate and panic on this board makes me wonder why I post here. Someone just called JO soft, and called Jeff Green who has given his all, playing less minutes than he's used to 'soft' for no apparent reason.
What a joke.

Do you really think a guy is 'tough' because he pulled a gun on someone?

I wasn't talking about him as a person, but as a player, in the game. And if you read my post instead of reacting in anger, you will see that I said JO was due to INJURY.
Green appears soft to me because he won't sacrifice his body like everyone else does. That's just my observation.
Not saying I'm right or wrong. Heck, I'm just as confused as the next person about why we're losing.  

[Kuberski1]

I was encouraged by what I saw in the SAS game, and the first half of the ATL game.  I think in the practices before the Spurs game, the coaches and/or vets drilled into the others (read new guys) that it was time to start playing "Celtic" basketball....now.  Krstic came out and played - for him - harassing defense.  The bench guys played hard, and Rondo played like Rondo.

Before the arrival of KG and Thibs, we were far from a defensive juggernaut.  Remember how we worried about Ray being a defensive liability when that trade happened?  How many people were talking about Perk as a great defensive center prior to 2007?  How did the Bulls go from a mediocre to a great defensive team?  The system, and a focus on and commitment to defensive makes a huge difference.  The problem is we don't have much time with the new guys, as it takes a fair amount of practice team, which we haven't had nor will.  But I think we can get better, enough so to be a strong defensive team. 

More than anything, I think having JO+Shaq in the middle for 25-30 mins a game will help toughen us up as well.

[BballTim]

Do you really think a guy is 'tough' because he pulled a gun on someone?

  It's definitely a start...

[JBcat]

We weren't soft earlier in the season when Perkins wasn't playing.  Our defensive stats since the Perkins trade seem to be roughly the same.  I don't think our recent struggles have to do with a lack of toughness.

It's been hard having a 3 man big rotation of KG, Davis, and Krstic.   After the first 5 or 6 games when Krstic was playing over his head and has come back to earth it's been a struggle with just 3 bigs.   I think Ainge was really hoping Murphy would be a factor but it hasn't materialized yet.  Davis has played way too many minutes.   I think if we have at least one of Shaq or JO with Krstic it will be a great domino effect for our team.   Davis can mostly concentrate on being a PF where he belongs.  Earlier in the season when we would have 4 bigs playing if you included Semih we were just fine.   Green would then eat up most of the backup wing minutes where he belongs.  Green does a great job posting up smaller wings and that is where I think he would be utilized best.  Not at the PF spot. 

Ray has been in a little bit of shooting funk.  I don't think that has anything to do with toughness.  He hasn't missed a game all year and maybe he has a little bit of tired legs.  Remember when Doc gave Ray a maintenance day away from practice a few weeks back.   

Rondo was dinged up but has played much better the last few games after going through his toughest stretch of the season.  Maybe that game off really helped him.  I think he is playing with plantar fascilitis the whole season if I remember correctly. 

Pierce is still driving hard to the hole.  I don't see a lack of toughness on his part.  KG still seems like KG to me.

We've always had trouble with back to back games pre and post trade.  I think that is just going to happen with an older team.  Luckily with the playoffs the games are much more spread apart.  Our team is built more for the playoffs.  I think too much is made of some hiccups here and there during the regular season.  When the Cavs steamrolled through the regular season it didn't do a whole lot for them in the playoffs.  With our veteran team when we can concentrate and game plan for 1 team in a 7 game series I think we will be just fine.