Blaming the offense

[rutzan]

FG %

KG .529
PP .398
RR .440
RA .452
BB .400
AB .383
KD .500
MP .318
MD .500
RH .333
SP .333
GS .375
EM .000

i see everyone's posts that say the problem is bb, pp, rr, etc...

it's not just one person...

it is a team-wide epidemic...

first...do you remember doc has been saying for years that kg needs 20 shots for us to win...kg had 4 shots midway thru the 3rd qtr...

second...we need easy baskets...that means pushing the ball...transition buckets for rr and ab...rr and pp taking it to the basket...not settling for jumpers...

bottom line...it all rests on doc's game-plan and
rr decision-making...

[mctyson]

I posted about this in this thread

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=55813.0

Pierce, Bass, Bradley, and Pietrus are all playing well below their regular season totals in PER.  I know PER is a touchy subject and doesn't work as well for guys like Bradley, but still it is a good way to show how each person is playing versus the field.

[clover]

FG %

KG .529
PP .398
RR .440
RA .452
BB .400
AB .383
KD .500
MP .318
MD .500
RH .333
SP .333
GS .375
EM .000

i see everyone's posts that say the problem is bb, pp, rr, etc...

it's not just one person...

it is a team-wide epidemic...

first...do you remember doc has been saying for years that kg needs 20 shots for us to win...kg had 4 shots midway thru the 3rd qtr...

second...we need easy baskets...that means pushing the ball...transition buckets for rr and ab...rr and pp taking it to the basket...not settling for jumpers...

bottom line...it all rests on doc's game-plan and
rr decision-making...

While I agree with your latter points, your data seems to contradict your claim that the problem is team-wide.  Some players have been doing fairly well, others not so much.

[LooseCannon]

not settling for jumpers...

Moving the ball around and getting open shots for players who are good jump shooters is good offense.  With this team, settling for jumpers means taking a lot of contested jumpers.

When the team isn't getting and making open jump shots, it means less space for Rondo and Pierce to work inside and fewer opportunities to set up a half-court defense that lead to the sort of stops that lead to transition buckets.

[LB3533]

Also, we are in the playoffs. Our opponents are not every other regular season team.

We played Atlanta and now Philly, two not so bad defensive teams.

[blink]

I agree with this part, and I think it comes back to intensity and playing better D.  We need to get stops to allow for our transition game after a rebound. 

Those first 5-10 seconds of the shot clock are so important when scoring in transition.  That is where Rondo really thrives.  It helps when Rondo is playing at a high level.

I also think, that we need to be going at the basket a bit more in the early going in games.  I belong to the make-easy-shots-early-will-help-you-hit-longer-shots-later mentality.  It happened yesterday with MP.  He got a nice drive to the hoop and that kind of unlocked the bucket for him.  Plus being aggressive earlier will help us get to the free throw line more.

Not much we can do about contested jumpers not falling, other than not allow ourselves to settle for those shots early.  Set the tone with aggressive drives to the hoop early.  It will loosen up the sixers D as well.

second...we need easy baskets...that means pushing the ball...transition buckets for rr and ab...rr and pp taking it to the basket...not settling for jumpers...

bottom line...it all rests on doc's game-plan and
rr decision-making...

[Meadowlark_Scal]

pp turns the ball over, holds onto it too long....causing the team to stand still on his iso's, he cannot or will not cover his man, so others have to do it, then WE get into foul trouble, especially our bigs, who are left in the paint to get this guy.....pp's game is actually a lot of the cause....a REAL lot...soon as  peitrus came in..BANG...big change...try sasha too......pp is hurt...and it don't heal playing bball....not a knee....

[CoachBo]

FG %

KG .529
PP .398
RR .440
RA .452
BB .400
AB .383
KD .500
MP .318
MD .500
RH .333
SP .333
GS .375
EM .000

i see everyone's posts that say the problem is bb, pp, rr, etc...

it's not just one person...

it is a team-wide epidemic...

first...do you remember doc has been saying for years that kg needs 20 shots for us to win...kg had 4 shots midway thru the 3rd qtr...

second...we need easy baskets...that means pushing the ball...transition buckets for rr and ab...rr and pp taking it to the basket...not settling for jumpers...

bottom line...it all rests on doc's game-plan and
rr decision-making...

The percentages aren't the problem - they are a product of the problem, which is a stagnant, ball-stopping slowdown offense with no penetration, no ball movement, little or no attacking of the basket.

And I'll add this: Got a new remote today.

If I see another Celtic drive unmolested to an unattended basket and chuck the ball back outside to the three point line, I'm going to need another remote Friday.

Those parts of your point are well taken, and the killer possession last night at the 1 minute mark is just an example of the problem.

It has to change, and soon, or a winnable series is going to get away.