Scal on the Celtics at the moment

[footey]

Scal comes across as very disappointed in how the team has been playing particularly game 1 vs Pacers.

On the one hand, I share in the lack of confidence this team instills. 

On the other, I can remember other moments in Celtic playoff history where "great" Celtic teams got lucky moments. And did some dumb things along the way.

In 1981 playoffs, Celtics barely won game 1 against a very over matched Houston Rockets team; this was the game in which Bird made probably his most famous shot, off a miss, where he shot behind the backboard for game winner. (I was sitting near the endline in BG where it happened!). In game 2, also in the Garden, Boston actually lost to the Rockets, by a fair amount if I recall.  Funny, but no one seemed that concerned. We had must come back from being down 3-1 to the Sixers, our biggest competitors then. So fans just seemed to assume we would figure things out and beat an over matched Rockets team.  We would go on to win the series in 6 games.

And can't forget how the 1984 finals started. The Celtics got whipped by the Lakers in game 1, in the Garden, and were about to lose game 2, but for a terrible pass (by Worthy? Magic?) that Gerald Henderson intercepted to snatch the victory.  Not at all unlike what happened just the other night in game vs. the Pacers.

Of course there was "stolen by Bird" in the '87 playoffs vs the Pistons, which was preceded by a shot attempt by Bird that was quite weak, and blocked. Of course that possession is obscured by what happened next.

And can't forget the '65 Havlicek stole the ball game, which only came about after Bill Russell threw a bad in bounds pass that hit the guide wire.

Just trying to put this all in perspective I guess.   This team has had some great moments, but a lot of them were preceded by bad plays from some of our best all time players, and also required the opponent to do something human.

This is written from memory, so if I've erred on some of the dates or games, sorry!!

I am rooting hard for Tatum and Brown to lead the way to great games the rest of the way!!!

Go Celtics!!

 

[86MaxwellSmart]

You are correct. I wish people would wait until it's over.

[CelticsWhat35]

What I didn’t understand from Scal’s commentary is that he said he’d pick the 2024 team over the 2008 team based on the regular season, but not the playoffs.  This team is 9-2.  After 11 games in 2008, Celts were 6-5 and still three games away from even advancing to the ECF.  Granted, they faced stiffer competition, but it was a huge concern at the time with how poorly they were playing on the road.

[Celtics2021]

What I didn’t understand from Scal’s commentary is that he said he’d pick the 2024 team over the 2008 team based on the regular season, but not the playoffs.  This team is 9-2.  After 11 games in 2008, Celts were 6-5 and still three games away from even advancing to the ECF.  Granted, they faced stiffer competition, but it was a huge concern at the time with how poorly they were playing on the road.

I’m not sure they even faced that much stiffer competition in 2008.  Maybe in Round 2, but there was no reason that first series vs. the Hawks should have gone 7.

[GreenEnvy]

Refreshing to hear someone from the Celtics say what we all have been screaming the last few seasons. Scal is 100 percent correct.

Scal is right.  Of course, somebody could also remind him that the 2008 team had some brutal playoff losses.

True.  From a W/L standpoint, this team is outperforming the '08 team at the moment.

There may not be anything more hackneyed in sports commentary than 'grit', but 2008 v. 2024 really feels like a contrast of sandpaper & vellum.

Sure, but for a team as revered as '07-08 Celtics, they sure had their share of struggles on the way to the title and those of us who were on these boards back then will surely remember the question marks, sky is falling stuff, and pessimism throughout that playoff run.   We knew they were really good but we also had people outright freaking out.

Yep.  The only real difference is that the 2008 team didn't have a perceived history of coming up short.  But, I can't even imagine if this 2024 had a first round that went seven games, losing all three road games.

That team entered the Finals at 12-8.  This year we're 9-2.

I wasn't on CB at the time but If I recall my feelings up to the ECF at the time: going 7 games with Atlanta was 'simply inexcusable', 7 games against Cleveland was 'wow LeBron could really be pretty good pretty soon', and Detroit felt like a comparative cakewalk, emotionally.

Eh, I know it took them a lot of games but they can all be understood looking back.

First go in the playoffs as constructed, HUGE expectations after one of the most dominant regular seasons ever. Sure it went 7, but it was arguably the most lopsided seven-game series ever. We destroyed them in all the wins, and lost close ones there.

Second series perhaps shouldn’t have gone 7 either, but this was against a generational guy who went to the Finals the year before, the year after, and then 8 straight after we went back in 2010.

Then I always thought the Pistons were the second-best team. Losing at home in Game 2 gave us our first chance at adversity after going 0-6 on the road. And we responded with 2 of 3 in Detroit for the win.

Then going 6 in the Finals against the runaway best team in the West and future back-to-back champs is perfectly acceptable, especially if you punctuate it with a 39-point clincher at home 😝.

There’s no reason these Celtics should play more than 5 or 6 games against any team, but who knows.

[BASS_THUMPER]

Dont make Scalabrine Angry..You wouldnt like him when he Angry...

[ozgod]

i don't think the problem with this team is that they have trouble turning it on. they have trouble keeping it on. perhaps it's because their A game is so high-level that it's so difficult to sustain, and also that their B game is good enough to beat everyone too, just at a lower rate. there's a constant temptation to play the B game and it burns them here and there.

Yup, and once we've seen the A game, the B game is a pale comparison...like going from driving a Ferrari to a BMW - probably still better than a lot of the Fords and Kias out there but once you've seen the A game everything else is a downgrade

[trickybilly]

i don't think the problem with this team is that they have trouble turning it on. they have trouble keeping it on. perhaps it's because their A game is so high-level that it's so difficult to sustain, and also that their B game is good enough to beat everyone too, just at a lower rate. there's a constant temptation to play the B game and it burns them here and there.

Yup, and once we've seen the A game, the B game is a pale comparison...like going from driving a Ferrari to a BMW - probably still better than a lot of the Fords and Kias out there but once you've seen the A game everything else is a downgrade

Exactly, It's insane. People expect us to win every game by 30. That just not how basketball works. Teams go on runs, teams get hot from three..

[timpiker]

Yep, there are all kinds of examples of the previous "great" C's teams that won by luck or good fortune.  I think what Scal is saying without really saying it is, this team doesn't have a KG.  He's correct.  That doesn't mean these guys aren't great at having the KG Mindset.  It just means they don't show it the way KG did.  Almost nobody does.  KG was great at motivating himself and others by the way he acted and carried himself.  On paper this is a very good team and has been for several years.  The '08 team was supposed to take time to gel and maybe in year 2 or 3, win it all.  Because they won in Year 1 that was a surprise.  All the great C's teams weren't as great as we remember them.  Except that '86 team. 

[LilRip]

Kinda agree with Scal but I think this team is tougher than we give them credit for and I think having Jrue instead of Smart has been the biggest difference maker.

When things go sideways, Jrue is steady as a rock. Marcus kicks into overdrive (for better or for worse). So while Smart definitely makes for a more thrilling experience, Jrue just brings steady, winning basketball which is what this team needed

[ozgod]

i don't think the problem with this team is that they have trouble turning it on. they have trouble keeping it on. perhaps it's because their A game is so high-level that it's so difficult to sustain, and also that their B game is good enough to beat everyone too, just at a lower rate. there's a constant temptation to play the B game and it burns them here and there.

Yup, and once we've seen the A game, the B game is a pale comparison...like going from driving a Ferrari to a BMW - probably still better than a lot of the Fords and Kias out there but once you've seen the A game everything else is a downgrade

Exactly, It's insane. People expect us to win every game by 30. That just not how basketball works. Teams go on runs, teams get hot from three..

I mentioned this in another thread, but we're probably one of the more unhappy, dissatisfied fanbases around given the position we're in - most other fans would probably look at us and think we're in a great position, our opposition have been crippled by injuries, we've won our first 2 series 4-1 and are 2-0 up, and our biggest foe (Denver) has fallen by the wayside and their conquerors just lost their opening game.

But we're unhappy even though we won Game 2 by 16 points, probably because we saw all kinds of imperfections in how they played (as was pointed out in the Fire Joe thread) and there's always the fear that a better team will expose us somehow again. It's like the only thing that will satisfy us is a 30 point win each game where we lead every game and grow the lead each quarter and don't let the other team go on any runs at all. Because we've seen them do that during this season and so when they don't, it means this team has failed to meet expectations 

I guess people don't want to believe because we've been let down too many times by this team, breaking our hearts again would be unbearable. Easier to keep expectations low till it actually happens 

[lbgreen33]

i don't think the problem with this team is that they have trouble turning it on. they have trouble keeping it on. perhaps it's because their A game is so high-level that it's so difficult to sustain, and also that their B game is good enough to beat everyone too, just at a lower rate. there's a constant temptation to play the B game and it burns them here and there.

Yup, and once we've seen the A game, the B game is a pale comparison...like going from driving a Ferrari to a BMW - probably still better than a lot of the Fords and Kias out there but once you've seen the A game everything else is a downgrade

Exactly, It's insane. People expect us to win every game by 30. That just not how basketball works. Teams go on runs, teams get hot from three..

I mentioned this in another thread, but we're probably one of the more unhappy, dissatisfied fanbases around given the position we're in - most other fans would probably look at us and think we're in a great position, our opposition have been crippled by injuries, we've won our first 2 series 4-1 and are 2-0 up, and our biggest foe (Denver) has fallen by the wayside and their conquerors just lost their opening game.

But we're unhappy even though we won Game 2 by 16 points, probably because we saw all kinds of imperfections in how they played (as was pointed out in the Fire Joe thread) and there's always the fear that a better team will expose us somehow again. It's like the only thing that will satisfy us is a 30 point win each game where we lead every game and grow the lead each quarter and don't let the other team go on any runs at all. Because we've seen them do that during this season and so when they don't, it means this team has failed to meet expectations 

I guess people don't want to believe because we've been let down too many times by this team, breaking our hearts again would be unbearable. Easier to keep expectations low till it actually happens 

Wow, it is like I wrote this myself! Completely agree! But, I will Say as fans it is so hard to have expectations! We can't go in there and contribute in any way! We just have to sit and watch. Even Doris Burks was like, I don't know what's wrong with this young man "Tatum" He then went off and put the game out of reach. That is Too High of expectations!! When you really look at the numbers, that Celtics are playing incredibly well, But, our expectations are for them to destroy every team every night. That isn't even who these kids are. They are good, a little streaky for my liking, But I love this team! They are fun! It so freaking hard to win a championship!!!! The have a great opportunity this year, but you still have to play the games against great teams!!

[tonydelk]

i don't think the problem with this team is that they have trouble turning it on. they have trouble keeping it on. perhaps it's because their A game is so high-level that it's so difficult to sustain, and also that their B game is good enough to beat everyone too, just at a lower rate. there's a constant temptation to play the B game and it burns them here and there.

Yup, and once we've seen the A game, the B game is a pale comparison...like going from driving a Ferrari to a BMW - probably still better than a lot of the Fords and Kias out there but once you've seen the A game everything else is a downgrade

Exactly, It's insane. People expect us to win every game by 30. That just not how basketball works. Teams go on runs, teams get hot from three..

I mentioned this in another thread, but we're probably one of the more unhappy, dissatisfied fanbases around given the position we're in - most other fans would probably look at us and think we're in a great position, our opposition have been crippled by injuries, we've won our first 2 series 4-1 and are 2-0 up, and our biggest foe (Denver) has fallen by the wayside and their conquerors just lost their opening game.

But we're unhappy even though we won Game 2 by 16 points, probably because we saw all kinds of imperfections in how they played (as was pointed out in the Fire Joe thread) and there's always the fear that a better team will expose us somehow again. It's like the only thing that will satisfy us is a 30 point win each game where we lead every game and grow the lead each quarter and don't let the other team go on any runs at all. Because we've seen them do that during this season and so when they don't, it means this team has failed to meet expectations 

I guess people don't want to believe because we've been let down too many times by this team, breaking our hearts again would be unbearable. Easier to keep expectations low till it actually happens 

Wow, it is like I wrote this myself! Completely agree! But, I will Say as fans it is so hard to have expectations! We can't go in there and contribute in any way! We just have to sit and watch. Even Doris Burks was like, I don't know what's wrong with this young man "Tatum" He then went off and put the game out of reach. That is Too High of expectations!! When you really look at the numbers, that Celtics are playing incredibly well, But, our expectations are for them to destroy every team every night. That isn't even who these kids are. They are good, a little streaky for my liking, But I love this team! They are fun! It so freaking hard to win a championship!!!! The hare a great opportunity this year, but you sit have to play the games against great teams!!

The biggest issue is that as fans of this team we've been let down a lot over the last 5 years.  They come so close and don't finish the job.  It's like the trauma of the past failures brings out the insecurities we have as fans with this team.  The difference thus far this year is that the games we'd normally lose in the past we have been winning.  But hurt me one shame on you.  Hurt me twice, thrice etc well.  You know how the saying goes.  It's the hope that kills you.